ASUU Strike: Tinubu Grants Waiver, Orders 4 Months Release Of Withheld Salary

President Bola Tinubu has approved the partial waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” order preferred against the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

ASUU commenced an eight-month strike on February 14, 2022, and ended the industrial action on October 17, 2022. The then President, Muhammadu Buhari, had invoked the ‘no work, no pay’ to compel the university teachers to return to their classrooms. Since then, the lecturers have yet to be paid during the period of the strike.

However, respite came for the lecturers on Friday as presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, saying a partial waiver has been given over the order.

Ajuri said the waiver “will allow for the previously striking members of ASUU to receive four months of salary accruals out of the eight months of salary which was withheld during the eight-month industrial action undertaken by the union”.

He said Tinubu invoked the Principle of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy, seeking to “mitigate the difficulties being felt during the implementation of key economic reforms in the country, as well as his recognition of the faithful implementation of terms which were agreed upon during the deliberations between ASUU and the Federal Government of Nigeria”.

Tinubu approved the grant of the waiver with a mandatory requirement that the Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment must secure a Document of Understanding establishing that this exceptional waiver granted by the President will be the last one to be granted to ASUU and all other education sector unions.

See the full statement issued by the Presidency below:

PRESIDENT TINUBU APPROVES PARTIAL WAIVER OF THE “NO WORK, NO PAY” ORDER ON ASUU MEMBERS; ORDERS RELEASE OF FOUR MONTHS OF WITHHELD SALARY

Invoking the Principle of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy, President Bola Tinubu has approved the partial waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” Order that was instituted against striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) following the commencement of their eight-month industrial action which began on February 14, 2022 and was terminated on October 17, 2022.

In view of his determination to mitigate the difficulties being felt during the implementation of key economic reforms in the country, as well as his recognition of the faithful implementation of terms which were agreed upon during the fruitful deliberations between ASUU and the Federal Government of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has directed the grant of an exceptional last waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” Order on ASUU, which will allow for the previously striking members of ASUU to receive four (4) months of salary accruals out of the eight months of salary which was withheld during the eight-month industrial action undertaken by the union.

The President has directed the grant of the waiver with a mandatory requirement that the Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment must secure a Document of Understanding (DoU) establishing that this exceptional waiver granted by the President will be the last one to be granted to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and all other Education Sector Unions.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

October 20, 2023