Lecturer of Zoology Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife, Prof Tola Badejo has described the proposed Federal Government Committee to review ‘No work, no pay, punishment against Academic Staff Union University(ASUU) for its ongoing industrial strike action as face saving, time wasting.
Badejo who is a former Vice-Chancellor Wesley University of Science and Technology, Ondo State in an interview on Wednesday’s Sunrise Daily monitored by Nigerian Newssphere, he said it is clear that Professors and Lecturers of public universities have being working despite the strike.
“Why do you have to setup another committee to review what is obvious. No, work, no pay can never to apply to Professors and University lecturers. Teaching is what we don’t do when we are on strike, it is just a small fraction of what we do. We make exams, do research and other things. No lecturers will abandon research because of Strike. We all work every day from home and anywhere.
“I am specially surprise that FG is taking this step again, it appears as if they want to embark on a face saving device to make lecturers call off the strike but until I receive alert in my account, there is no going back. We won’t take a promissory note. You can imagine, they want to include our demand in 2023 budget at the peak of their departure. It is ridiculous, because they’ve being in power for Seven years”, he said.
Earlier, the Federal Government announced setting up a tactical committee to review its ‘no work, no pay’ stance against striking members of the Academic Staff Union Of Universities.
This followed a meeting by the Minister Of Education, Adamu Adamu; with Pro-Chancellors, Chairmen of Councils as well as Vice Chancellors of universities.
The meeting held behind closed-doors was part of efforts to resolve the seven-month industrial action by lecturers of public universities.
The Director Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, Ben Goong, disclosed this to journalists after the meeting which lasted for over two hours.
Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU), begun strike on February 14 2022 to demand for better condition of service in public universities and the implementation of 2009 agreement.