The Federal Government has directed that the no-work, no-pay policy be applied to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) participating in the ongoing nationwide strike. The directive was issued in a circular dated October 13 and signed by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa.

Alausa expressed the government’s dissatisfaction with ASUU’s decision to embark on a two-week warning strike starting October 13, despite ongoing negotiations and repeated calls for dialogue. He instructed vice-chancellors of federal universities to implement the policy against striking lecturers.

“In line with existing labour laws, the Federal Government reiterates its position on enforcing the ‘no-work, no-pay’ policy for any employee who fails to perform their official duties during a strike,” the circular stated.

Vice-chancellors have been tasked with conducting roll-calls and physical headcounts of academic staff, submitting reports to indicate who is actively performing their duties. Academic staff who belong to the Congress of University Academics (CONUA) and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA), and are not participating in the strike, are exempt from this directive.

Alausa further instructed that salaries for striking staff be withheld and confirmed that the National Universities Commission (NUC) has been assigned to monitor compliance, providing a consolidated report to the Ministry of Education within seven days.

ASUU’s strike stems from disputes over lecturers’ work conditions, the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, withheld salaries, and sustainable funding for public university revitalisation. The government, however, maintains that it has addressed the union’s demands and remains open to further negotiations to end the strike.