ASUU Condemns FG’s Ploy To Turn Scholars to ‘Casual Workers’

By Adadainfo

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Tuesday, condemned the half-salaries paid to university lecturers by the federal government in the month of October.

ASUU stated this in a release after its National Executive Council meeting held in Abuja.

The meeting was sequel to the 18-day salary paid to the university lecturers after calling off their eight-months’ strike.

The statement was issued by ASUU President Prof Emmanuel Osodeke.

It read in parts, “The action of the union (ASUU) was a display of manifest trust in the judiciary and other institutions and organs of government to always put national interest above all other considerations.

“This, we believe, as a union of thinkers, intellectuals, and patriots, will not only aid the process of amicable resolution of the crisis, but will also set the tone for smooth industrial relations between the government and Nigerian workers at large.

“Unfortunately, the response of the government towards ASUU’s demonstration of trust was the so-called ‘pro-rata’ payment for eighteen days as the October 2022 salaries of academics, thereby portraying them as daily paid workers.

“NEC noted with dismay that paying academics on a ‘pro-rata’ basis, like casual workers, is unprecedented in the history of university-oriented labour relations and therefore condemned this attempt to reduce Nigerian scholars to casual workers in its entirety.”

Osodeke hailed the lecturers for their steadfastness in ensuring that their quests in embarking on the strike were met.