We’re Not Intimidated By No-Work, No-Pay Threat, Say Varsity Lecturers

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has dismissed the national government’s ‘No Work, No Pay’ directive, insisting that the national volition not beryllium intimidated by threats.

ASUU President Chris Piwuna stated this connected Monday portion speaking arsenic a impermanent connected Channels Television’s programme, ‘Politics Today.’

He said the national remains agreed and would not succumb to what helium described arsenic the government’s effort to disagreement the world community.

“We don’t respond to threats, and cipher tin endanger us,” Piwuna said.

Piwuna stated that each world bodies, specified arsenic the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) and the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA), were lasting unneurotic successful enactment of the strike.

“He is threatening us, penning to NAMDA and CONUA, telling them they can’t get their salaries. He wants to disagreement us, but we are agreed successful this matter.

“CONUA is with us, NAMDA is with us, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) is with us, Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) is with us. The polytechnics and colleges of acquisition are besides with us,” helium said.

The ASUU president advised the curate of education, Dr Tunji Alausa, to absorption connected resolving the ongoing quality alternatively of issuing threats.

“He has got thing coming. He had amended beryllium down and lick this problem, oregon helium volition neglect successful trying to disagreement us,” helium added.

Piwuna besides hinted that the national remained unfastened to dialog and was acceptable to prosecute with the national government.

“Today, I received a telephone from the Minister of State for Labour. She said she had been directed to intervene and get this substance resolved. ASUU is willing. We are acceptable and disposable to sermon this substance erstwhile and for all,” the ASUU president added.

Strike: Academic Activities Grounded, Disrupts Final Semester Exams  

The two-week informing onslaught declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has taken effect crossed nationalist universities successful Nigeria, disrupting last semester examinations.

It was gathered that immoderate institutions reported partial compliance, portion others person been wholly unopen down, with students stranded and expressing fears of hold successful graduation.

The concern action, which commenced yesterday, follows the expiry of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the national authorities to code lingering issues affecting the assemblage system.

These issues see unpaid Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), withheld salaries, and the non-implementation of renegotiated agreements.

At Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, the president of ASUU, Dr Sylvanus Ugoh, confirmed to LEADERSHIP that the section had complied with the nationalist directive and that its members would not be class.

“Yes, we person joined the onslaught arsenic approved by the nationalist body,” helium said.

Our analogous gathered that world activities were paralysed successful astir departments arsenic lecturers withdrew from classes successful adherence to the union’s directive.

Some students did not fuss going to school, lamenting that lectures were improbable to beryllium held adjacent if they did, arsenic the national had already declared the strike.

A 300-level microbiology pupil who identified himself lone arsenic Victor and resides successful Giri said helium would not spell to schoolhouse until helium verified from his friends that everything was successful order.

“I didn’t spell to schoolhouse today, dissimilar astir friends here. We volition measure the concern to cognize if determination is immoderate request to be classes tomorrow,” helium said.

However, the schoolhouse absorption has yet to contented a circular concerning the onslaught oregon whether lectures volition continue.

Checks successful different universities showed varying levels of compliance. At the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, activities continued, arsenic it was gathered that the instauration was presently conducting undergraduate examinations.

A final-year student, Mr Bem Abraham, said successful an interrogation with LEADERSHIP that the schoolhouse could not articulation the onslaught instantly owed to the ongoing examinations.

“I volition beryllium penning my last insubstantial time and volition graduate. I’m definite aft the examinations, the schoolhouse volition articulation the onslaught if the authorities fails to resoluteness the contented with ASUU,” helium said.

At the University of Benin, the ASUU section issued a circular telling members that teaching, task oregon thesis supervision, departmental, module board, oregon Senate meetings, seminars, examinations, oregon inaugural lectures would beryllium prohibited.

The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Lecturers, Bauchi, joined the nationwide onslaught contempt the government’s threats.

The president of the ASUU section astatine the university, D...