The Academic Staff Union of Universities, University of LAGOS Tuesday embarked on a protest over the payment of half salaries to lecturers by the Federal Government in October.
Asuu says the protest was a display of trust in the judiciary and institutions as well as other organs of government to always put national interest above all considerations.
The response of the government towards ASUU’s demonstration of trust was the so-called ‘pro-rata’ payment for eighteen days as the October 2022 salaries of academics, thereby portraying them as daily paid workers.
This action the union believes is not only an aberration but a contravention of all known rules of engagement in any contract of employment.
The ASUU chairman UNILAG chapter, Dr. Dele Ashiru says the decision is based on the government’s legitimate interest in preventing moral hazard and discouraging disruptive industrial actions.
ASUU had called off its eight-month strike in October after the National Industrial Court ordered the lecturers to resume.
The Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities, ASUU, had embarked on an Industrial Action for over 8 months to press home their demands for the revitalisation of the Nigerian Universities system.
The Union had asked the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Education to do something about funding of the Public Universities System through the implementation of the renegotiated 2009 agreement between it and the Federal Government.
The failure of both sides to reach a mutual agreement on the matter led to the 8 months industrial action which ensure that Students within the University system lost a whole year.
The subsequent negotiations between both sides became so protracted that the University Students under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Students got involved using a series of measures including picketing of the offices of the Federal Ministry of Education to force the government to accede to the demands of their lecturers and ensuring their return to school.
The action were eventually called off after the intervention of the members of the House of Representatives led by the Speaker, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila.
The Federal subsequently paid what the lecturers said were half salaries to them for the month of October and this has led to another round of brickbats between the two sides with this protests the latest show of displeasure by members of ASUU.
