A fresh round of crisis is increasingly brewing in Nigeria’s public universities just two weeks after the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, called off its eight-month strike.
Lecturers under the umbrella of ASUU were on Monday bewildered, following the payment of salary for only 18 working days in the month of October to its members by the Federal Government.
Recalled that ASUU had embarked on strike on February 14 to press home the demand for improved funding for universities, and a review of salaries for lecturers, among other issues.
Amid the back-and-forth over the union’s demands, the federal government had threatened not to pay the lecturers for the strike period, but a review of the decision was said to be under consideration.
On October 14, the union suspended its strike after the intervention by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, and directed members to resume work immediately.
Lecturers who spoke to newsmen confirmed the report.
Moyosore Ajao, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) ASUU chairman, said, “I’m yet to get mine but some of us who have received theirs got half salaries for October. We don’t know why they have to pay us half salary,”
A lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), who did not want to be named, also confirmed that he did not get his full salary.
The UNN lecturer, however, said it wasn’t clear what month the payment was for.
“What I got is not exactly half of my salary. But then, it’s not up to my usual salary. Basically, they didn’t pay full salary, that’s the right word for it. The month was also not specified,” the lecturer said.
The UNILAG chapter of the union also described the development as “insensitive and disheartening” on its Twitter page.
PAYMENT OF AMPUTATED AND CRIPPLED OCTOBER SALARY
It is to say the least insensitive and disheartening that a supposedly democratic government can be so vicious, reckless and inhuman in dealing with the best brains in our society. https://t.co/S4NVH6MqsY
— Academic Staff Union of Universities, UNILAG (@ASUU_UNILAG) November 3, 2022
