ASUU UPDATE: FG Reviews ‘No Work, No Pay’ Rule

 

The Federal Government has set up a tactical committee to review its ‘no work, no pay’ stance against striking members of the Academic Staff Union Of Universities (ASUU).

This followed a meeting by the Minister Of Education, Adamu Adamu; with Pro-Chancellors, Chairmen of Councils as well as Vice Chancellors of universities.

The meeting which held behind closed-doors was part of efforts to resolve the seven-month industrial action by lecturers of public universities.

The Director Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, Ben Goong, disclosed this to journalists after the meeting which lasted for over two hours.

He said the committee is to also look into issues of increase in the salaries of the university lecturers and come up with workable solutions.

The spokesman for the ministry did not give a specific timeline for the 14-man committee. He, however, said the committee is expected to come up with its findings in no distant time.

He said the committee’s report will be forwarded to President Muhammadu Buhari for action.

Asked if this committee’s work has jettisoned the recommendations of the Professor Nimi Briggs-led committee earlier set up by the federal government, he simply said no.

Meanwhile, since the commencement of the industrial action, now indefinite, some columnists and commentators have accused ASUU of insensitivity and applauded the government’s “No Work, No Pay” stance.

Ardent supporters of no work, no pay rule, included Jide Osuntokun, an emeritus professor and Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Germany and a columnist with ThisDay Newspaper, Yemi Adebowale.

But ASUU didn’t fail to take swipe on them as quickly as possible. The irate academic authorities constituted Rapid Response Team, and accused the critics of lacking the required understanding of the structure and workings of the Nigerian universities.

According to the authors of the rejoinders- Ade Adejumo of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho, Oyo State, who is the chairman of the team, and ‘Laja Odukoya of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, the clarifications became necessary to set the records straight.

In his piece titled; “Setting the Record Straight on the ASUU Struggle: Can Ignorance Replace Knowledge?,” Mr Adejumo said Mr Adebowale’s support for the government’s “No Work, No Pay” policy stemmed from his “prejudice and hatred” for the lecturers and the union.