This is probably not the best response you expected to see as a university student right now, but to be very honest, the possibility of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarking on another strike action in 2023 is very high.
This is premised based on the claim that the Federal Government of Nigeria still withholds up to eight month salaries of the union’s members. Although, rumour has it that ASUU members were only owed a month’s salary currently. In any case, the FG is planning to pay the Congress of Nigerian Universities Academics (CONUA).
ASUU may resort to using the legal way, which is the court, if the government goes ahead to pay the members of the other academic union, the Congress of Nigerian Universities Academics (CONUA), which was established in 2022.
According to reports, the Federal Government is ready to pay the withheld salaries and allowances of lecturers, only those under the umbrella of CONUA. They have requested for their details after this union protested against their own salaries being withheld.
After all, they didn’t join in the strike actions, so, their salaries and allowances shouldn’t be withheld as said by the CONUA president, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, in an interview. The government has responded to their grievance letter and therefore asked for their details as indicated below:
Meanwhile, you may wish to forward the following details to facilitate seamless deduction and remittance of check-off dues: Evidence of registration, official account details of the union, membership list-signed by each member, percentage deduction(check-off dues)/amount to be deducted from each member; mode of remittance between the headquarters and local chapters.
However, ASUU’s counsel, Femi Falana, said they would not react until the Federal Government goes ahead to pay the members of CONUA their salaries. He said:
We want them to pay the money. That is why we have not reacted.
That will form the legal basis for the government to now pay ASUU. We will now have legal grounds to challenge them in a court of law. Through that ASUU will be paid. They won’t have a choice. Let them go ahead.
The Federal Government still holds its ground on the “no work, no pay” policy which definitely doesn’t sit well with ASUU, as they still protest against it. ASUU Congresses have commenced in all branches in Nigeria and a strike action may definitely not be ruled out this year.
