FG dashes ASUU hope again, insists on no-work-no-pay policy

The Federal Government is not shifting ground on its decision not to pay striking university lecturers for the industrial action period, now in the seventh month, Minister of State for Education, Goodluck Nanah Opiah, has said.

He condemned the Academic Staff Union University over the lingering impasse between the union and the Federal Government and insisted that the government would maintain its no-work-no-pay policy concerning the outstanding salaries.

He said the Federal Government had done its best to resolve the issues raised by ASUU but they had been adamant to call off the strike, which was embarked upon by since February 14th, 2022.

The minister spoke when he visited Federal University Lokoja, Kogi State.

He said, “The Federal Government cannot pay lecturers for what they did not work for. The strike has continued to portray the country in a bad light and has succeeded in causing more pains for parents and students.”

He said that the FG had done so much on infrastructural development in all higher institutions across the country.

He ased the Vice chancellor of FUL, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi, to appeal to lecturers to come back to work, adding that their prolonged stay at home had done more harm than good to the future of Nigerian students.

He said, “The Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari has done so much especially in infrastructural development in our tertiary institution. Because, anywhere you go, you will see the presence of TETFUND, buildings, vehicles and all manners of institutional assets.

“Those who think that lack of infrastructure is one of the reasons they went on strike should think again. Mr Vice Chancellor, let me use this opportunity to appeal to you, to also appeal to our lecturers to come back to work because our children are suffering.

“Our country’s image is going lower. Our parents are not happy, and these lecturers are also parents to some of our students. Contrary to what they think, some of us also have our Children in Nigeria Universities and they are also suffering.

“Although, if we stay on strike forever, it means our Children will be out of School forever. It is not in our own interest. There is nothing that has gone wrong that we cannot get corrected through dialogue. I know that, almost everything that ASUU brought forth for discussion between the Federal Government has been resolved.

“Except that, now that ASUU want to be paid for all the six month that they were absent from duty. And the Federal Government is saying ‘no, we cannot pay for those days you did not work’. For once, let us activate the principle of no work no pay which is natural. It is only a thief that goes to eat where he didn’t work.

“And so if there should be any appeal for Federal Government to do otherwise, Lecturers should come back to the class room to beg and appeal and renegotiate because this thing is no longer funny.”