ASUU May Face No Work, No Pay Rule

The Federal Government (FG) May be forced to invoke the “no work no pay rule on the striking university lecturers if government did not succeed in persuading the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to return to work.

The Minister for Education, Dr. Sam Egwu who made this known when he monitored the Monotechnics/Polytechics and Colleges of Education (MPCE) Matriculation Examination in Lagos in the company of JAMB Registrar, Prof Dibu Ofierinde.

Dr Egwu said that ASUU should accept the 40 percent increase in emolument that the federal government approved, with effect from July 1, adding that a rejection of the offer shows that ASUU is not really after the welfare of the University system, as it has always claimed.

He appealed to ASUU to go back to the class room for the sake of students who he described as the greatest casualties of the strike, adding that quence of the disruption of the academic calendar on the students.

According to the minister “we are appealing and if they refuse, we will hooke the no work, no pay rule. We still call on them to consider the interest of the students.”

“ASUU should realize that then are punishing the students and not the government. Students are not sure of when they are graduating after seven, eight years, it is not proper” he said.

Speaking on the conduct of last Saturday’s examination, which he monitored in four centres, including King’s College Amnex XI, Government Senior Secondary School, Maroko, Osbourne Schools Complex, Ikoyi, Ikeja Senior Grammar School, Ikeja and Victory High School Ikeja, Egwu described the exams as well organised and commended Ojerinde for ensuring everything was properly done.

He also said, Remember the argument was that it (the strike) was not personal, it was not for salary, Now, why are they refusing the 40 percent increase, if salary was not their major interest.

They could have said that to demonstrate to Nigerians that they have the interest of education in this country at heart, they should go back to the class room, but still press for more improvement in the entire sector,” he said.