***Students to write examinations in couple of days
***Lecturers meet at weekend on way forward
Uncertainly is now trailing the decision of the Federal Government to pay the November salaries in full to the lecturers under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) while also withholding the eight month arrears, being the period when ASUU was on strike.
The development is also causing anxiety in the public universities as the lecturers have threatened to resist attempt by the Federal Government to turn them to casual workers.
There are indications that students are about to write their examinations in a couple of days while ASUU leadership may meet at the weekend to review their stance on withheld salaries and other matters.
Confirming the payment of full November salaries on Wednesday in Abuja, a senior member of ASUU at the Bayero University Kano said, “Some of our members have started receiving salaries and I can confirm to you that we received our full salaries for the month of November. However, the arrears are still withheld.”
Incidentally, the Federal Government had invoked the ‘No work, no pay’ policy and insisted that it would not pay the lecturers within the period they were on strike.
But the lecturers have kicked against the policy, saying that the nation’s universities system is about to witness a monumental crisis and mother of all strikes if the Federal Government refused to pay them the salaries arrears.
The lecturers were also paid pro-rata (half-pay) in October, according to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige.
According to reports, the lecturers were paid for only 18 working days in October, quoting a senior member of ASUU who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“We were only paid for the days after the strike. I received half salary. Other members are angry right now, they are blaming the NEC for calling off the strike” the anonymous union member said.
Lecturers in public universities nationwide have been protesting against the decision by the Federal Government.
TheIdeal News recalls that ASUU had suspended its eight-month-old strike on October 14 in deference to order of the Court of Appeal while the lecturers were encouraged to resume work by the union.
