The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarked on an indefinite strike on the February 14, 2022, following years of unresolved issues with the federal government. During the period of the strike, the union had on several occasions met with the federal government’s representatives headed by the Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige with a clear mandate to find a lasting solution to the lingering problems but to no avail, as the meetings have always ended in deadlock.
Tired and frustrated with that, in September last year, the federal government through the Ministry of Labour and Employment took the union to the National Industrial Court. It asked the court to, among other things, order the university teachers to resume classes with immediate effect.
The outcome of the court’s judgement favoured the federal government. Paradoxically, the appellate court refused to entertain ASUU’s appeal, saying that until and unless they obey the lower court’s judgement of going back to classes.
The intervention of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila paved the way for the lecturers to get a soft landing in what seems like an unending fracas with the federal government.
Prolonged and incessant ASUU strikes was this time around followed by a heavy price as the federal government reiterated that the no work no pay policy has to be duly applied to the striking workers.
The federal government’s decision to withhold their salary has generated heated debates and threats from ASUU, but government has remained adamant. Shutting down universities is at the detriment of students because they are always at the receiving end.
Having tried in vain to convince the federal government to pay the eight months’ salary arrears to ASUU members, the management of some universities decided to compensate them by increasing school fees and introducing sundry charges against students. It’s no longer news that some universities have increased tuition fees to more than 100%.
It’s crystal clear that this increment will affect many students because their parents cannot afford to pay such whopping amount of money as school fees. In the meantime, the mass of students dropping out of universities, especially in the North, is imminent.
Safiyanu Ladan,
Zaria, Kaduna state
