LECTURERS in the nation’s public universities
may face bleak Christmas and New Year
celebrations, as they did not receive their
salaries in the last five months.
The teachers only last Tuesday ended their
169-day strike.
They embarked on the strike on July 1 to
demand the implementation of an agreement
their umbrella body, the Academic Staff Union
of Universities, reached with the Federal
Government in 2009.
The ASUU President, Dr. Nasir Fagge, who
announced the suspension of the strike last
Tuesday, said the union had accepted the
resolutions it signed with the government on
December 11.
The resolutions include immediate
commencement of the revitalisation processes
as contained in a letter with reference number
FME/PS/398/C.1/Vol i.1/110, dated December
12, 2013, entitled, “Opening of Dedicated
Account for Revitalisation of Nigerian
Universities.”
But barely one week after the strike ended and
24 hours to Christmas, findings by our
correspondents showed that the teachers had
yet to collect their salaries.
A lecturer at the Obafemi Awolowo University,
Ile-Ife, Osun State, who spoke on the
condition of anonymity, noted that they did
not receive their August, September, October,
November and December salaries.
He expressed reservations about the Federal
Government’s commitment to the recent peace
deal between the union and government.
The ASUU National Treasurer, Dr. Ademola
Aremu, confirmed that the lecturers had yet to
receive their salaries.
He said, “We have yet to be paid, even with
Christmas coming. This is not our agreement
with the government before the strike was
called off.”
Also, the University of Ibadan ASUU Chairman,
Dr. Segun Ajiboye, confirmed the development.
He said, “It is true that our members have yet
to be paid. We are actually heading for a bleak
Christmas.”
Fagge, who also confirmed that the lecturers
had yet to be paid, said, “People have not been
paid salary up till today. We will wait and see.”
He, however, promised to speak further on the
issue after Christmas festivities.
Another lecturer at the Lagos State University,
who spoke to one of our correspondents, said
there was no indication that their families
would celebrate the Christmas.
He said, “Until now (Monday night), there is no
indication that we shall be paid. There is no
evidence that anything will happen before
Christmas. One would have thought that
preparation and payment of our salaries would
be ready before now.
“I, however, suspect that our vice-chancellor is
behind this delay. I wonder why he is waiting
for further directive before paying us.”
The University of Abuja ASUU Chairman, Dr.
Clement Chup, said, “We have yet to be paid. I
have not seen any alert.”
Meanwhile, some lecturers at the University of
Nigeria and Enugu State University of
Technology have also said the festive period
would be bleak for them.
They, however, remained optimistic that they
would brace the odds and survive the season.
“We would certainly survive. God is in control,”
said Dr. Nnanyelugo Okoro of the Department
of Mass Communication, UNN.
The ESUT ASUU Chairman, Prof. Gab Agu,
expressed disappointment with the system.
He said, “We weren’t even expecting anything
much from the Federal Government over the
strike, but at least they should have paid us
our salaries.
“A labourer is entitled to his wages, but since
we have been denied of our wages, what then
do we do? We would surely survive this period
because our God is in charge.”
But the Deputy Director (Information) of the
National Universities Commission, Ibrahim
Yankassai, assured that the lecturers would be
paid their money in full with December salary.
Also, the Special Assistant (Media) to the
Minister of Education, Simeon Nwakaudu,
promised that the Federal Government would
respect every aspect of the agreement reached
with the union, including the non-victimisation
clause.
A source privy to the agreement had, last
Tuesday, said, “The Federal Government has
agreed to pay the salary arrears. It is part of
the understanding we reached.”
He added that the government also reached an
understanding with the union to pay the
lecturers “salaries as a precondition to
suspending the strike.”
When asked by one of our correspondents if
the government had accepted to pay the salary
arrears of the lecturers, the Supervising
Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, replied,
“What is your problem? Has ASUU told you
they have a problem with that?
“That they have called off the strike is the
most important thing. For the other ones,
leave the details for us. Any agreement we
reached with ASUU must be honoured.”
The just-ended strike came on the heels of the
intervention of President Goodluck Jonathan
five months and 16 days after the industrial
action began.
Following a marathon meeting with the
President on November 4, the government
agreed to inject N1.3tn into public universities
between 2013 and 2018.
Government also promised to inject N220bn
yearly into public universities beginning from
2014. However, for the remaining part of this
year (2013), it agreed to domicile N200bn in a
special account at the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The government, which promised to domicile
the N1.3tn at the apex bank to show its
commitment to the agreement, also promised
to release the money on a quarterly basis to
the universities to cater for the funding of the
sector.
The two parties also agreed that the National
Universities Commission and the Trade Union
Congress would be the joint guarantors of the
agreement, while the Minister of Education
would be the implementing officer.
ASUU’s demands also included:
•Provision of N1.3tn for the revitalisation of
the university system from 2013 to 2018;
•Dedication of revitalisation account at the
CBN by the government. The funds shall be
paid into the account on a quarterly basis
from which the universities will draw;
•Constitution of a central monitoring
committee to monitor the implementation of
the revitalisation of the universities;
•Proper monitoring and verification of the
N30bn already released by the government.
•Engaging the services of universities in special
consultancy series such as environmental
impact assessment, geological/solid minerals
survey, biotechnology, among others to boost
the Internally Generated Revenue base of the
universities.
The signing of the deal finally took place
penultimate Wednesday in Abuja with the
leadership of the organised labour in
attendance as witness.
Source:Myschoolng.com

workshop = if u work u go chop

Pls ooo... They should not start anoda strike... I don dey grow grey hair already

martha: Pls ooo... They should not start anoda strike... I don dey grow grey hair already

they cant o...they didnt work na

Elantracey: they cant o...they didnt work na

Thank God o

Should i comment....?

Lol,them be dey xpect salaries,
aftr they no gre work

Abeg who help me see my christmas sheeken

They should pay this guys for Gods sake

Whether dey work or dey no work. Make FG honour the agreement and pay them deir salaries, since dey include am as part of the agreement. Agreement is agreement and must be fulfilled. CHIKINA. Unless they wan brew anoda problem with ASUU.

Pay wetin...landlord don put "To LET" for front of our compound gate even as none of d self cons dey empty..who go pay our house rent ni..na FG abi ASUU?

Omo see groove..... i go shakara 4 those lautech 'teachers'.......i am hvin a fun filled xmas in conjunction with a rocking new year to come while my lecturers are 'bleaking'

ASUU should uncall off the strike na? F00lish pple