ASUU warns of fresh strike over unremitted deduction

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has issued a warning to the federal government of fresh strike over unremitted deduction. 

It said that the federal government has refused to pay its members salaries despite the 'no victimisation clause' of the suspended strike. 

ASUU chairman, University of Ibadan, Prof. Ayo Akinwole said that the federal government failed to remit the deductions it made to the account of the union. Therefore warned that if pushed to the limit, withdrawal of work in the nearest future may be inevitable. 

He said that while the government are paying outstanding five months salaries for those on nominal role at an agonisingly slow pace, over 100 University of Ibadan (UI) academic staff members are being owed salaries for between two to ten months. 

Prof. Akinwole stressed that the newly employed In February 2020 had not received money with their families and dependants suffering over their rejection of enrolment on the IPPIS. 

He said, 

"The suspension of the strike was based on an agreement reached and a  ‘Memorandum of Action’ signed in good faith between the government and ASUU at the stakeholders’ meeting held on 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.”

While stating the ASUU had remained faithful to the agreement by returning to classes and performing their respective duties, he alleged that, 

“Officials of the OAGF kept adducing flimsy untenable reasons for the perpetual non-payment of salaries, demanding loads of paperwork and documents both from the union and the bursary unit of the various universities, as well as the university administration.

“The requested documents have consistently been provided on a monthly basis, yet the salaries remain unpaid. In the University of Ibadan, March 10, 2021, about 67 ASUU members that are on regular nominal payroll have their salaries ranging from two to 10 months still unpaid as of March 10, 2020. Over 80 ASUU-UI members in the faculty of veterinary medicine have their medical allowances of over eight months still unpaid."