Dr. John Ogi, a senior lecturer at Moses Adasu University in Makurdi, Benue State, has criticised the Federal Government for threatening to implement a no-work-no-pay policy against striking university lecturers.
The Federal Government had on Sunday warned that the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, which began its strike on Monday, would face the policy if the industrial action continued.
Reacting, Ogi described the threat as unreasonable and insensitive, urging the government to stop treating university lecturers like Almajiris. He attributed some of President Bola Tinubu’s unfavourable policies to poor advice from his aides.
He argued that the government’s approach ignores the underlying issues behind the strike and undermines the legitimate demands of lecturers for their entitlements. According to him, humiliating intellectuals only shows a lack of understanding of governance and labour relations, which breeds mistrust and widens the gap between leaders and the workforce.
Ogi warned that adopting coercive measures instead of seeking justice reflects irresponsibility, adding that similar tactics had failed in the past. He maintained that ASUU remains resolute and focused on its cause.
Meanwhile, all public universities have been shut down as ASUU begins a two-week nationwide warning strike.
In a statement on Sunday, the union announced the total strike to press for the conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, payment of withheld salaries, proper funding and revitalisation of public universities, and an end to the victimisation of lecturers in LASU, Prince Abubakar Audu University, and FUTO.
The demands also include payment of outstanding salary arrears, promotion arrears, and withheld third-party deductions.
ASUU had earlier held protests across federal and state universities on August 26 to draw government attention to these issues but said its concerns were ignored.
Although the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, claimed that talks with the union were in their final stage, ASUU rejected the Federal Government’s latest offer during a meeting on October 10, saying it failed to meet their key demands.
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