Amidst ongoing protests by the Academic Staff Union of Universities over part payment of salaries by the Federal Government in October, the Federal Government has maintained its position that the lecturers would not be paid for work not done.
The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, stated this on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja.
The part payment followed the suspension of ASUU’s eight-month strike, in line with an order by the National Industrial Court for the lecturers to return to work.
Responding to allegations by the National President of ASUU, Prof, Emmanuel Osodoke that the part payment was simply a tactic to casualise lecturers in the university system, the minister stated that the government held no such plans.
“The strike has been called off and the government has paid them what is due to them. I think that is the position of the government, that it is not going to pay anyone for work not done and they only did the number of days that they were paid,” Adamu said.
“How can anybody make a university lecturer a casual worker? It is impossible to make a university lecturer a casual worker.”
When asked if the Federal Government would be willing to take steps to assuage the ASUU and stave off further hostilities, the Minister said;
“I don’t understand, is there any problem now?”.
On the 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”
Also reacting to President of the ASUU, Professor Emmanuel Osodoke’s claim of the union only having an agreement with the Minister of Education and Speaker Femi Gbajabiamiala, not with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Adamu said;
“I cannot add any light on something that I did not know.
“And since they said they have no business with the Minister of … Did they show you the agreement? Well, I’m not aware that there’s any agreement between us.”
