Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU) got a presidential pardon on Friday over their prolonged eight months strike last year during which their salaries were stopped.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, explained in a statement that the pardon, which will lead to payment of their withheld salaries, was given on a Principle of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy and will see the university lecturers receiving salaries of four months out of eight.
According to the statement, “In view of his determination to mitigate the difficulties being felt during the implementation of key economic reforms in the country, as well as his recognition of the faithful implementation of terms which were agreed upon during the fruitful deliberations between ASUU and the Federal Government of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has directed the grant of an exceptional last waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” Order on ASUU
“Invoking the Principle of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy, President Bola Tinubu has approved the partial waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” Order that was instituted against striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) following the commencement of their eight-month industrial action which began on February 14, 2022 and was terminated on October 17, 2022.
“The President has directed the grant of the waiver with a mandatory requirement that the Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment must secure a Document of Understanding (DoU) establishing that this exceptional waiver granted by the President will be the last one to be granted to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and all other Education Sector Unions.”