The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) may be preparing for another showdown as the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, has insisted the government will not pay full salaries to lecturers despite their ongoing nationwide protest. The Minister stated this while briefing correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Adamu, insisted that the protesting lecturers would not be paid for work not done in line with ‘No work no pay’ policy. ASUU had on Monday begun protests across the country to press home their demand for full pay after the Federal Government failed to pay them for the eight-month period the lecturers were on strike.
On Tuesday, members of the Lagos zone of the union carried out a protest rally at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, and the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), demanding full payment of their salaries.
Responding to an allegation made by the President of ASUU, Professor Emmanuel Osodoke, that paying the lecturers on pro-rata basis was a ploy to make them casual workers, the Minister remarked that government had no such plan.
Adamu said: “The strike has been called off and the government has paid them what is due to them. I think the position of the government is not to pay anyone for work not done.
“How can anybody make a university lecturer a casual… Do you know the meaning of casual worker? If you know the meaning, it is impossible to make a university lecturer a casual worker.”
Asked if the federal government would be willing to take steps to assuage ASUU and stave off further hostilities, the Minister said: “I don’t understand, is there any problem now?”.
Reminded that ASUU planned work-free-day, he said “Oh? Okay, I’m not aware. I’m not aware that they are going on strike? No, nobody has told me.
“So let’s wait till the work-free-day comes, then I’ll find out the details and we’ll discuss, you can ask me then, but at the moment, I’m telling you honestly, I do not know that there is a problem.”
With the latest insistence by the government, there are doubts that the government would yield to the pressure by the union.
