The Federal Government has reiterated that it has met all the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), describing the union’s decision to embark on a two-week warning strike as unwarranted. It has also directed the enforcement of the ‘no-work, no-pay’ policy for lecturers participating in the ongoing industrial action.
ASUU commenced a comprehensive two-week strike on Monday, October 13, following the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the government. The union cited unresolved issues including the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, withheld salaries, revitalisation funds, and conditions of service.
However, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, while speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, insisted that the Federal Government had addressed all major concerns raised by the union.
“We have addressed every single request by ASUU. There is no need for this strike, and we are pleading with them to return to the classrooms,” Alausa said.
He highlighted key interventions made by the government, including:
The payment of ₦50 billion in Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) arrears, now mainstreamed into lecturers’ salaries to avoid future backlogs.
Resolution of postgraduate supervision allowance issues.
Approval and partial release of ₦150 billion for the Needs Assessment Fund, with ₦50 billion already disbursed.
Plans to settle promotion arrears in the 2026 budget.
Alausa noted that the government remained committed to engaging with ASUU constructively and emphasised President Bola Tinubu’s readiness to relate fairly with labour unions.
Despite the government’s appeal, ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, during a press conference at the University of Abuja on Sunday, confirmed that all branches had been directed to commence withdrawal of services. He stated that the strike became necessary due to the lack of tangible response from the government after the ultimatum expired.
In response, the Ministry of Education, in a circular signed by Alausa and dated October 13, directed vice-chancellors of federal universities to implement the ‘no-work, no-pay’ rule against lecturers who down tools.
“In line with extant provisions of the labour laws, the Federal Government reiterates its position on the enforcement of the ‘no-work, no-pay’ policy,” the circular stated.
University administrators have also been instructed to:
Conduct a roll-call and physical headcount of all academic staff.
Submit reports indicating employees present and actively discharging their duties.
Ensure salaries are withheld from staff participating in the strike.
Members of the Congress of University Academics (CONUA) and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) who are not involved in the strike are exempted from the directive.
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has been tasked with monitoring compliance and is expected to submit a consolidated report within seven days.
The current face-off is the latest in a series of disputes between ASUU and the Federal Government over the years, with university students often bearing the brunt through prolonged academic disruptions.
