From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Imo State University chapter, Odinakachukwu Ejiogu, has described the “No work, No Pay” policy of the federal government as violence against public university education in Nigeria.
He said that the policy as implemented by the agents of the federal government cannot work in the university system as they are not causal workers.
He noted that strike actions are legitimate instruments in the hands of employees to press home their needs as allowed by both local and international labour laws and conventions and that it is unthinkable that the federal government is not only willing to breach the conditions of employment of public university academics but also rubs it in by the careless abandon with which implementation of agreements reached with the Union is treated.
Ejiogu who stated this yesterday when he addressed Journalists during a peaceful protest in solidarity with their colleagues at the federal Universities said the policy of ” No Work No pay ” policy is reprehensible and obnoxious.
“It is unfortunate and, to say the least, dangerous to the survival of public university education in Nigeria for the Minister of Labour, Employment and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige to direct non-payment of accumulated salaries of public university academics,” he said.
The obnoxious and reprehensible policy of No Work, No Pay of the federal government, if allowed to stand, can only do violence to the principles, practices and procedures of the university system. A lecturer who is not properly motivated and remunerated should not be expected to give the best, not giving one best, unfortunately, finds expression in subtracting from the quality of graduates produced by the university system.”
He added, “For one thing, the Lecturers who did not teach during the strike undertook such other aspects of their engagement as research and community service while the strike lasted. For another, now the strike is over, Lecturers dutifully cover lost grounds.”
Ejiogu further warned that except both state and federal governments committedly work to resolve the issues that have held down public university education in Nigeria, the eventual outcome will be akin to the deplorable state of Public Primary and secondary schools in Nigeria.
“The federal should not dare to implement the “No Work, No pay” policy in the university system unless there is a deliberate objective to cripple the system “.