Members of the National Executive Council of the Academic Staff Union of Universities will on Monday hold a crucial meeting to decide on whether to go on a fresh strike or not.
The decision to convene the emergency NEC meeting, which is to be held at the ASUU National Secretariat on the University of Abuja campus, is coming on the heels of October salary cut received by members of the union.
A NEC member, who does not want his name in print, told our correspondent that members of the union across all the branches were disappointed about the action of Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.
The official said their members had it on good authority that it was the minister who wrote to the necessary quarters, directing them not to fully pay October salary to lecturers.
“I can confirm that, ASUU NEC will meet on Monday, November 7, to take a decision on strike action or not. This is an aftermath of half-salary paid by the Nigerian govt.
“Branches say they are disappointed in the FG. The union should have a decision on the same day,” he told Daily Trust on the phone.
President of the union, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke could not be reached for comments as at when filing this report.
ASUU had called off an eight-month strike on October 14, following court rulings and the intervention of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila.
Another NEC member said the most “worrisome” part of the whole thing was the payment of salary backlogs to medical lecturers in the universities while other teachers in other discipline were neglected.
In reaction via a statement issued on Saturday, Ngige dismissed ASUU members’ allegations on selective treatment.
He described the allegation as grossly “inaccurate, misleading and barefaced distortion of facts”, pointing out that members of ASUU were paid their October salary pro-rata, and not half salary.
He said the pro-rata was done because they cannot be paid for work not done.
The minister maintained that he never directed the Accountant-General of the Federation to pay the university lecturers half salary.
