Following the Nigerian Government's decision to pay lecturers half salaries for October 2022, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU is planning to call an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council.
According to a report by The Punch, although a date has not yet been set, the decision followed the crediting of the accounts of union members with half salaries by the Federal Government.
A source disclosed the development to The Punch reporter in Abuja saying, “I was shocked when I received an alert from my bank and I noticed that I got half salary; they didn’t even talk about the backlog of the eight months of the strike."
Another source added, “It is true, I received half, some professors received salaries of N121,000; this is the fact, we are waiting for the decision of the national body, and our members are very angry right now.”
ASUU
ASUU National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, has also confirmed the incident in a conversation with The Punch in Abuja.
“Half salaries were paid, and no reasons were given whatsoever. We learned that Ngige wrote to the office of the Accountant General and Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system and told them to only pay us for the period when we called off the strike.
“We heard there was a letter to that effect but we haven’t gotten it yet. We are going to summon a meeting.”
The Punch's inquiry with the spokesperson for the supervising Ministry of Education received this response- "We don't pay salary at the Ministry of Education. Kindly direct your question to the office of the Accountant General."
"They Are Pushing Us Again To The Point Of Taking Drastic Action."- ASUU National President.
Meanwhile, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said that the Federal Government is seeking to split its membership by paying salaries to some selected medical lecturers while withholding that of other members of the academic staff.
The union specifically accused Dr. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, of favoring his professional colleagues by paying medical lectures at the Usman Dan Fodio University Teaching Hospital in Sokoto seven months' salaries.
The union observed that such a move does not mean well for the university system, in a statement by ASUU, UDUS chairperson, M. N. Almustapha, and the Secretary, S. A Sadiku.
Image: The Punch
Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, the National President of ASUU, in an interview with Vanguard on Thursday, also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call the Labour minister to order.
“I am aware of what is going on. The minister just wants to create more problems and Nigerians should take note. They are pushing us again to the point of taking drastic action. ”We have not been paid for eight months and we have resumed for about a month now. Those who impressed it upon us to suspend the strike should take note also, “he said.
Vanguard checked with the National Secretary of the Congress of University Academics, CONUA, Dr. Henry Oripeloye to know if any of his union members had received a salary, and he responded that none had.
” We have not been paid any salary. And regarding the claim that medical lecturers in Sokoto have been paid, I cannot confirm that but a few days ago, I was in touch with one of their leaders and he said their members have not been paid too, ” he stated.
A statement from ASUU UDUS stated: “Recall also that, on the 14th of July, 2022, the Minister of Labour and Employment granted an interview on Arise TV, where he stated, quote “Medical lecturers are at work, they are teaching."
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