ASUU Rejects ‘No Work, No Pay’ Policy, Vows Not to Bow to Government Threats

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the Federal Government’s directive enforcing the “No Work, No Pay” policy against striking lecturers, declaring that the union will not succumb to intimidation or division tactics.

ASUU President, Dr. Chris Piwuna, made this known on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he accused the government of attempting to weaken the union’s resolve through selective payment and threats.

“We don’t respond to threats, and nobody can threaten us,” Piwuna stated firmly.

According to the ASUU leader, the government has been reaching out to rival academic groups such as the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) and the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA) in a bid to divide the academic community.

“He is threatening us, writing to NAMDA and CONUA, telling them they can get their salaries. He wants to divide us, but we are united in this matter,” Piwuna said.

Dr. Piwuna insisted that ASUU remains united with other unions in the education sector, including the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), and academic unions in polytechnics and colleges of education.

“CONUA is with us, NAMDA is with us, SSANU is with us, NASU is with us. The polytechnics and colleges of education are also with us,” he declared.

He urged the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, to focus on addressing the core issues raised by the lecturers rather than issuing ultimatums and threats.“He had better sit down and solve this problem or he will fail in trying to divide us,” the ASUU President warned.

Despite the government’s tough stance, Piwuna revealed that the union remains open to dialogue. He disclosed that the Minister of State for Labour had reached out earlier in the day to initiate fresh talks toward resolving the dispute.

“Today, I received a call from the Minister of State for Labour. She said she has been directed to intervene and get this matter resolved. ASUU is willing. We are ready and available to discuss this matter once and for all,” he added.

The standoff between ASUU and the Federal Government intensified last week after the government directed vice-chancellors of federal universities to enforce the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy on all lecturers participating in the ongoing nationwide strike.

The union began its warning strike on Monday, demanding the implementation of previous agreements, improved welfare, and revitalisation funding for Nigeria’s public universities.

The latest development has further strained relations between ASUU and the Federal Government, with many education stakeholders urging both sides to embrace constructive dialogue to prevent another prolonged shutdown of the nation’s tertiary institutions.