LECTURERS in the nation’s public
universities may face bleak Christmas
and New Year celebrations, as they did
not receive their salaries in the last five
months, The PUNCH gathered on
Monday.
The teachers only last Tuesday ended
their 169-day strike.
They embarked on the strike on July 1
to demand the implementation of an
agreement their umbrella body, the
Academic Staff Union of Universities,
reached with the Federal Government in
2009.
The ASUU President, Dr. Nasir Fagge,
who announced the suspension of the
strike last Tuesday, said the union had
accepted the resolutions it signed with
the government on December 11.
The resolutions include immediate
commencement of the revitalisation
processes as contained in a letter with
reference number FME/PS/398/C.1/Vol
i.1/110, dated December 12, 2013,
entitled, “Opening of Dedicated Account
for Revitalisation of Nigerian
Universities.”
But barely one week after the strike
ended and 24 hours to Christmas,
findings by our correspondents showed
that the teachers had yet to collect their
salaries.
A lecturer at the Obafemi Awolowo
University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, who
spoke on the condition of anonymity,
noted that they did not receive their
August, September, October, November
and December salaries.
He expressed reservations about the
Federal Government’s commitment to
the recent peace deal between the union
and government.
The ASUU National Treasurer, Dr.
Ademola Aremu, confirmed that the
lecturers had yet to receive their
salaries.
He said, “We have yet to be paid, even
with Christmas coming. This is not our
agreement with the government before
the strike was called off.”
Also, the University of Ibadan ASUU
Chairman, Dr. Segun Ajiboye, confirmed
the development.
He said, “It is true that our members
have yet to be paid. We are actually
heading for a bleak Christmas.”
Fagge, who also confirmed that the
lecturers had yet to be paid, said,
“People have not been paid salary up till
today. We will wait and see.”
He, however, promised to speak further
on the issue after Christmas festivities.
Another lecturer at the Lagos State
University, who spoke to one of our
correspondents, said there was no
indication that their families would
celebrate the Christmas.
He said, “Until now (Monday night),
there is no indication that we shall be
paid. There is no evidence that anything
will happen before Christmas. One
would have thought that preparation and
payment of our salaries would be ready
before now.
“I, however, suspect that our vice-
chancellor is behind this delay. I wonder
why he is waiting for further directive
before paying us.”
The University of Abuja ASUU Chairman,
Dr. Clement Chup, said, “We have yet to
be paid. I have not seen any alert.”
Meanwhile, some lecturers at the
University of Nigeria and Enugu State
University of Technology have also said
the festive period would be bleak for
them.
They, however, remained optimistic that
they would brace the odds and survive
the season.
“We would certainly survive. God is in
control,” said Dr. Nnanyelugo Okoro of
the Department of Mass
Communication, UNN.
The ESUT ASUU Chairman, Prof. Gab
Agu, expressed disappointment with the
system.
He said, “We weren’t even expecting
anything much from the Federal
Government over the strike, but at least
they should have paid us our salaries.
“A labourer is entitled to his wages, but
since we have been denied of our
wages, what then do we do? We would
surely survive this period because our
God is in charge.”
But the Deputy Director (Information) of
the National Universities Commission,
Ibrahim Yankassai, assured that the
lecturers would be paid their money in
full with December salary.
Also, the Special Assistant (Media) to
the Minister of Education, Simeon
Nwakaudu, promised that the Federal
Government would respect every aspect
of the agreement reached with the
union, including the non-victimisation
clause.
A source privy to the agreement had,
last Tuesday, said, “The Federal
Government has agreed to pay the
salary arrears. It is part of the
understanding we reached.”
He added that the government also
reached an understanding with the
union to pay the lecturers “salaries as a
precondition to suspending the strike.”
When asked by one of our
correspondents if the government had
accepted to pay the salary arrears of the
lecturers, the Supervising Minister of
Education, Nyesom Wike, replied, “What
is your problem? Has ASUU told you
they have a problem with that?
“That they have called off the strike is
the most important thing. For the other
ones, leave the details for us. Any
agreement we reached with ASUU must
be honoured.”
The just-ended strike came on the heels
of the intervention of President Goodluck
Jonathan five months and 16 days after
the industrial action began.
Following a marathon meeting with the
President on November 4, the
government agreed to inject N1.3tn into
public universities between 2013 and
2018.
Government also promised to inject
N220bn yearly into public universities
beginning from 2014. However, for the
remaining part of this year (2013), it
agreed to domicile N200bn in a special
account at the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The government, which promised to
domicile the N1.3tn at the apex bank to
show its commitment to the agreement,
also promised to release the money on
a quarterly basis to the universities to
cater for the funding of the sector.
The two parties also agreed that the
National Universities Commission and
the Trade Union Congress would be the
joint guarantors of the agreement, while
the Minister of Education would be the
implementing officer.
ASUU’s demands also included:
•Provision of N1.3tn for the
revitalisation of the university system
from 2013 to 2018;
•Dedication of revitalisation account at
the CBN by the government. The funds
shall be paid into the account on a
quarterly basis from which the
universities will draw;
•Constitution of a central monitoring
committee to monitor the
implementation of the revitalisation of
the universities;
•Proper monitoring and verification of
the N30bn already released by the
government.
•Engaging the services of universities in
special consultancy series such as
environmental impact assessment,
geological/solid minerals survey,
biotechnology, among others to boost
the Internally Generated Revenue base
of the universities.
The signing of the deal finally took place
penultimate Wednesday in Abuja with
the leadership of the organised labour in
attendance as witness.

source: www.punchng.com

who cares?i only pity d other federal govt. workers..as for ASUU!..................................












ONPE!!!