Following the ongoing industrial strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, which enters its fourth month, the Federal Government may have begun enforcement of "no work, no pay" rule on the striking university lecturers.
Report from a reliable source close to the National Universities Commission (NUC) reveals that government had given directive to the various universities' governing councils to halt payment of salaries of the striking lecturers.
The development was confirmed on Thursday in Abuja shortly after a zonal conference of ASUU at the University of Abuja, Gwagwalada campus, to review the strike that has paralysed the university system for over three months.
ASUU Zonal Chairman, Clement Chup, said his colleagues are yet to receive their September salaries.
He said they have, therefore, resorted to other welfare strategies to cope with the effect of the non-payment of salaries, in a bid to contain the attempt by government to break the resolve of the union.
"The Federal Government has through the National Universities Commission directed universities to stop the payment of our salaries effective September this year and since then our salaries have not been paid."
Part of the welfare strategy, he said, involves distributing food items, giving out soft loans and cash advances to members.
The Zonal Chairman said Nigerians should disregard rumours making the rounds that the three-month-old strike has been called off, saying "the strike continues until the government demonstrates a positive inclination towards implementing the 2009 agreement and the 2012 memorandum of understanding signed by both parties."
Meanwhile, General Secretary of the Non Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), Peters Adeyemi, said strike has been beneficial to the academic system.
He said some of the benefits currently being enjoyed in the tertiary education sector have come as a result of strike.
He cited the N130 billion for infrastructure and earned allowances recently released by the Federal Government through the Needs Implementation Committee chaired by Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswan.
"The government had already pledged to release N400 billion for infrastructure since 2013; N100 billion for four years. But if not for the ongoing strike, they would not have released the first N100 billion.
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