The University of Abuja’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdulrasheed Na’allah, clarified that the institution is not responsible for the delayed salaries of academics belonging to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) UniAbuja chapter, who are currently on strike.
The ASUU members at the university have been on strike for over 40 days, primarily due to issues surrounding the appointment of a new VC. The lecturers had also accused the management of withholding their salaries.
In a statement he issued in Abuja on Monday, the VC mentioned that despite the ongoing strike, the university management approved the payment of salaries to all academic staff, even those on strike, in compliance with the “no work no pay” policy of the Federal Government.
“University Management approved payment of salaries to all academic staff, and included with magnanimity, even those on strike who deserve no salary because of the activation of ‘No Work No Pay’ policy of the Nigerian government in the University.”
Na’allah further mentioned that the university management is in contact with the government to ascertain the cause of the delay, indicating that it may be attributed to a glitch in the Remita system.
The VC expressed surprise that the ASUU branch leadership, along with some members who have been on strike for over a month, are the first to complain about withheld salaries even though they are not entitled to payment due to the ongoing strike.
“It is unfortunate and painful to Management that the academic staff are subjected to this suffering, especially those who laboured day and night to make life meaningful for their students. What is important to us, at the moment, is that the IPPIS has since confirmed that the May 2024 Academic Salary has been released for payment and the continued delay now being experienced might be from the Remita and not from Management,” the VC stated.
Last Saturday, members of ASUU and the Congress of University Academics of UniAbuja expressed their frustration over the withheld salaries by the university authorities.
Despite this, the ASUU branch at the institution, which has been on strike for 41 days due to the controversy surrounding the advertisement of the VC position by Prof. Abdulrasheed Na’allah, vowed not to halt its protest, asserting that the university authorities’ actions have only strengthened their resolve.