The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has condemned the Nigerian government’s threat to invoke the ‘no work, no pay’ policy over the two-week warning strike embarked upon by lecturers.
Speaking with the media, the ASUU Zonal Coordinator for the Akure Zone, Adeola Egbetokun, faulted the President Bola Tinubu-led government.
“Yes, it is a familiar route, and our members are ready. Dr. (Tunji) Alausa should also know that there is what is called ‘no pay, no work,'” he said in reaction to the government’s plan.
“We wish Dr. Alausa and his ministry good luck with the enforcement of the ‘no work, no pay’ policy. He should remember that it was his insincerity and lack of commitment that pushed us to this point. We had been very patient with the government for more than two years until they came to us last Friday with a strange document that totally jettisoned the meetings we had had with Alhaji Yayale Ahmed.”
“We had engaged in collective bargaining with this government, and the committee had produced a draft agreement. Most of the provisions/proposals in the draft were concessions on the part of ASUU. Yet, the government became recalcitrant,” he said.
He warned that if the Nigerian government fails to act within two weeks, the union would activate its internal mechanisms to respond.
“The union leadership has a procedure for review after such expiration, and that would also be done,” he further commented.
On Sunday, ASUU announced that its members would embark on a two-week warning strike, starting from Monday, October 13.
The union cited years of unmet agreements and government neglect of the education sector.
In response, the Federal Ministry of Education accused ASUU of being uncooperative despite ongoing negotiations and repeated appeals for dialogue.
The ministry also warned that it might enforce the “no work, no pay” policy, reiterating that sustained dialogue remains the only path to resolving the long-standing issues.
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