A source, who has chosen to stay anonymous, reveals the decision of members of the National Executive Council of the Academic Staff Union Of Universities to meet on Monday, November 7 to reach an agreement as to whether to continue the strike or not.

Subsequently, On October 14, the Academic Staff Union of Universities ended their eight-month strike in response to the court’s decision and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila’s intervention.

Instead of giving in to their demands, the federal government gave lecturers half pay for the month of October. While from the month of March through September, medical lecturers received full payment.

Following the payment system, ASUU chairperson, Muhammad N. Al-Mustapha, Usman Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS) branch said the salary payment was favourable to professional members of the union, but members in other disciplines were ignored.

Also, members of the union are convinced that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige is responsible for the half salary payment to lecturers.

ASUU has scheduled an emergency meeting after expressing displeasure that the Federal Government has not complied with their demands.

Furthermore, According to Ngige, the lecturers received pro-rata pay based on the number of days they worked. The medical lecturers, however, were paid in full because they stayed out of the strike.

“Following the ruling of the Court of Appeal, which upheld the order of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), asking ASUU to go back to work, the leadership of the union wrote to the Minister, informing him that they have suspended the strike.

The Federal Ministry of Education wrote to him in a similar vein and our labour inspectors in various states also confirmed that they have resumed work.

So, the minister wrote to the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planning, directing that their salaries should be restored.

They were paid in pro-rata to the number of days that they worked in October, counting from the day that they suspended their industrial action. Pro-rata was done because you cannot pay them for work not done. Everybody’s hands are tied.”

Ngige added.

Consequently, the Minister for Labour and Employment opposed Muhammad,N.Al-Mustapha’s claim saying,

“Those obviously being referred to by the UDUS ASUU chairperson were members of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association (MDCAN) who abstained from the eight-month strike of ASUU because they abhorred the incessant strikes by the union and its grave effects on medical education in Nigeria and production of more medical doctors.”

All of these have re-inflamed anxiety and stress in the academic community.

What will the outcome of the emergency meeting be?

Will another strike solve this lingering issue or yet be futile?

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