Browsing: FGN-ASUU imbroglio

With head high, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) continues to celebrate its judicial but false victory over the FGN-ASUU case, which the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) judged in September 2022 and May 2023. Part of the Court’s overall judgment is “Call off the strike; the government is legally right to implement the no-work-no-pay policy.” This phrase has made FGN celebrate the clipping of the ASUU’s wing, the bunch of “trouble makers” who have become “clogs” in the wheel of university progress as they always demanded more funding for university education in Nigeria. They were defeated, their ego was shattered, and some of them paid supreme price, and the rest are leaking and still nursing their wounds. They dare not go on industrial action again and are coerced to “teach” their students for the peanuts they get as salary. Any striking worker will face the wrath of the “no-work-no-pay” policy, and the union will be “legally” dealt with. This victory made the FGN refuse to implement the 23% salary increase the government offered the workers during its industrial action. Even the so-called 40% salary increment across the salaries of Federal workers paid at the beginning of this year, the university workers were excluded. The society nodded its agreement with government action by remaining silent and thinking that the ASUU agitation for more funding was unnecessary. When ASUU suspended its strike action, FGN stayed quiet and pretended to have resolved all contending issues.