Cynthia Ezegwu
The Federal Government on Sunday night warned that it would invoke the “no work, no pay” policy against members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) if the union proceeds with its planned industrial action.
The warning came in response to ASUU’s declaration of a total and comprehensive warning strike scheduled to begin on Monday, October 13.
In a statement issued by the spokesperson of the Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo, the government accused ASUU of failing to cooperate with ongoing efforts to prevent disruption of academic activities across public universities.
The ministry said the government remained committed to dialogue and has prioritised the welfare of university staff and the stability of the academic calendar under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“The Ministers further stressed that dialogue remains the most effective and sustainable path to resolving disagreements, and government remains open to engagement at any level to prevent unnecessary disruption in the education sector,” the statement read in part.
It added that the “no work, no pay” policy remains an existing labour law in Nigeria, warning that the government would enforce it should academic activities be disrupted.
“While the government continues to demonstrate goodwill and flexibility, it will not abdicate its responsibility to uphold fairness and accountability in the use of public resources,” the statement said.
The ministry reassured students, parents, and the general public of its commitment to maintaining industrial harmony in the tertiary education system, urging academic unions to embrace dialogue rather than confrontation.
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ASUU, however, listed several unresolved issues as reasons for the strike, including the conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, the release of withheld three and a half months’ salaries, sustainable funding for public universities, and the revitalisation of tertiary institutions.
Other demands include the payment of outstanding 25–35% salary arrears, four years’ promotion arrears, the release of withheld third-party deductions, and an end to what it described as the victimisation of lecturers in some universities, including Lagos State University, Prince Abubakar Audu University, and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
The union said the warning strike was necessary to compel the government to honour its commitments and address lingering issues affecting the university system.