Logo of the Academic Staff Union of Universities
By Temiloluwa Erinle
In UNILAG, there has been no sign of strike action this week. However, in several universities across the nation, ASUU-registered academics have abandoned the classroom as they protest the delay of their June salaries by the national government, the key complaint among other pressing issues.
But the rising tide of strike action seems to have stalled, and UNILAG will remain out of it, for now. In fact, striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have begun to go back to the lecture room as their salaries are now being paid, according to Premium Times.
Moreso, the chairperson of the union, Mr. Chris Pinuwa, clarified to Premium Times that it isn’t on an indefinite strike, contrary to recent trending news. He however mentioned that member chapters of the union are always obligated to go on strike whenever salaries are delayed, going “by the ‘no pay, no work’ policy.” This explains what actually happened this week, as regards the acclaimed strike action, which isn’t forcefully nationwide as initially reported by many news platforms.
Lecturers in University of Abuja and University of Jos – universities which initially announced their participation in the strike action – have now resumed, according Mr. Pinuwa.
The chairperson of ASUU, UNILAG chapter, Prof. Kayode Adebayo, also told Daily Akokite that UNILAG isn’t participating in any strike action at the moment.
Threat of a Repeat of Strike
However, Mr. Pinuwa warned that there will be an escalated repeat of this strike protest next month, if the national government delays again, which he believes they deliberately do.
He accused the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation of deliberately withholding payments, telling Premium Times:
“We are saying that since we left the IPPIS, our salaries have deliberately been delayed by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.
“That’s why we’re embarking on this action. It’s not an indefinite action. Just if at the end of July our salaries are not paid again, we would again stop work.”
The chairman of ASUU, UNILAG, refused to comment on the likelihood of UNILAG joining a future action due to salary delays.
About The Author
