ASUU accuses FG of withholding 10 months salaries

ASUU calls for release of colleague kidnapped one year ago…says another strike inevitable

By Ola Ajayi

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has accused the Federal Government of breaching a “no victimization clause” agreed upon during the dialogue that led to the suspension of the strike they had embarked on.

Specifically, the union, through the Chairman of ASUU, University of Ibadan, Professor Ayo Akinwole alleged that the Federal Government and the Accountant General of the Federation are victimising its members by refusing to pay them salaries running between two to 10months despite suspending the strike.

The alleged refusal, according to ASUU, could lead to another strike in future.

ASUU stated that while members are back to their duty posts, the harsh economy being experienced due to unpaid salaries and non-refund of deducted check-off dues will affect productivity.

The academic union stated in a statement that the Federal Government refused to remit union deductions it made to the account of the union with a plan to stiffle it.

“While government is paying outstanding five months salaries for those on nominal role at an agonisingly slow pace, over one hundred UI academic staff are being owed salaries ranging between two and ten months.

He disclosed that those newly employed in February 2020 have not received any dime because they maintained their stand to reject enrolment on the IPPIS.

The ASUU boss stated the Buhari Government has continued to show that it cannot obey the rule of law by continuing to deduct housing funds from ASUU members who have not subscribed to the scheme and also refused to refund same to respective accounts.

“On December 23, 2020 ASUU conditionally suspended (with effect from 12:01 am on Thursday, 24th December,2020) its 9-months old strike which it began on March 23  2020 owing to the failure of the Nigerian Government to address the outstanding issues as outlined in the collective bargaining agreements of 2009,2013,2017 and 2019 freely reached and signed between the Government and ASUU.”

” The suspension of the strike was based on an agreement reached and a  ‘Memorandum of Action ‘ signed in good faith between the Government and  the ASUU at the stakeholders’ meeting held on the  Tuesday,22nd December,2020″.

” A major common position agreed to (and expected to be respected) by the Government and ASUU was that

‘nobody shall be victimised in any way whatsoever for his/her role in the process leading to  the Memorandum of Action”.

Vanguard News Nigeria

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