The Federal Government has started paying members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) their eight months salaries withheld while they embarked on strike.
ASUU had embarked on strike demanding among other things the removal of its members from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system (IPPIS) of the federal government which they declared as “fraudulent.” Other demands of ASUU proper funding of Nigerian universities in line with basic international standards, autonomy to universities.
President Tinubu last year approved that the withheld salaries be paid to the lecturers. The government of President Muhammadu Buhari had adopted the “no work, no pay” tactics against the striking university teachers.
However, the Minister of Education, Mr. Tahir Mamman, had told journalists recently in Abuja that the federal government has increased the university workers’ salaries by 35 per cent. Mamman also confirmed that the government has granted ASUU demand and removed their members from the IPPIS platform.
Several members of the ASUU who spoke to FACTSHEET confirmed that some of their colleagues have started receiving the withheld salaries, but they were unable to confirm if the eight months lumpsum is being paid.