Half salary: We can’t pay lecturers for work not done – FG

The Federal Government has explained its reason for not paying full salaries to lecturers under the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The union has fixed an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting for Monday over the salary cut.

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​In a statement on Saturday, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, said the government explained that members of ASUU were paid their October salary pro-rata.

It said pro-rata was done because the lecturers cannot be paid for work not done.

“Following the ruling of the Court of Appeal, which upheld the order of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, asking ASUU to go back to work, the leadership of the union wrote to the Minister, informing him that they have suspended the strike. The Federal Ministry of Education wrote to him in a similar vein and our labour inspectors in various states also confirmed that they have resumed work.

“So, the Minister wrote to the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planning, directing that their salaries should be restored. They were paid in pro-rata for the number of days that they worked in October, counting from the day that they suspended their industrial action. Pro-rata was done because you cannot pay them for work not done. Everybody’s hands are tied.”

On February 14, 2022, ASUU embarked on strike and suspended it on October 14. While the strike lasted, the government insisted that lecturers would not be paid for the period of strike.