By JIVNN Okafor (Managing Editor) @AuntyJVIN
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Sunday, accused the federal government of victimization of its members and withholding of their salaries, warning that the union by embarking on another industrial action.
In a statement by the ASUU chairman, University of Ibadan branch, Prof. Ayo Akinwole, the University lecturers alleged that the federal government is tactically avoiding payment of salaries of its members for up to ten months. ASUU said the action of the government was in contravention of the conditions earlier given to the government before they suspended their last elongated strike on December 24, 2020, that none of their members should be victimized in any way.
ASUU also alleged that not only that their members are being owed salaries of between two to ten months as victimization for participating in the last strike actions, but members who are back to their duty posts also work under harsh economic conditions with deducted check-off dues not being refunded them. This, the union maintains, is affecting their productivity.
The ASUU chairman, Akinwole, also said that the refusal by the government to remit deductions it made to the account of the union suggests a discreet plot to stifle the union. He however warned that the prevailing situation could compel the union to proceed on another round of strike action if pushed to the limit.
According to the ASUU leader, while the government is paying outstanding five months salaries for those on the nominal role at an agonizingly slow pace, over 100 UI academic staff are being owed salaries ranging between two and ten months.
His words: “While ASUU as a union and her members as individuals in various branches have remained faithful to this agreement by returning to classes and performing their respective duties, the Federal Government, true to type, has reneged on its part
“Contrary to FGN affirmation of its commitment to pay all withheld salaries of ASUU members who have not enrolled in the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information system (IPPIS), three months after the suspension of Strike, thousands of ASUU members across various branch are still being owed salaries.”
Adewole added that: “Instead of deploying the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) software developed by ASUU, which has been adjudged effective for payment of salaries, some of our members are still being denied their salaries, and others are being coerced by agents of the government to register on the repressive IPPIS for payment of salaries.
“The Union ASUU and her members are made to suffer from all the aforementioned attacks by the federal government while the public expects our members, some of who now live on the charity of family members and colleagues for survival to use their personal resources to discharge their duties diligently in the universities.
“These harsh conditions would have terrible consequences on public tertiary education in Nigeria and when push eventually comes to shove, as it definitely will in no distant future, the Nigerian public should accordingly blame the Federal Government for its insincerity. Blame the federal government of Nigeria if the universities are shut down again.” NNL.
