FG urges ASUU to call off strike, insists ‘no work, no pay’
Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU
Abdullateef Fowewe
The Federal Government of Nigeria has urged the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to shelve its proposed strike, stressing that “constructive dialogue remains the most effective and sustainable path” to resolve issues in tertiary education.
In a joint statement released on Sunday, the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmad, said the government has made “a comprehensive offer to the union” and is still awaiting ASUU’s official response.
The statement highlighted measures addressing the union’s main concerns: “working conditions, institutional governance, and staff welfare,” including a new “robust Teaching Allowance designed to reflect the value of academic work and motivate lecturers across public universities.”
The Ministers reaffirmed the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to the welfare of lecturers and university stability, insisting that reforms are “anchored on fairness, accountability, and institutional strengthening.”
However, they warned that if ASUU proceeds with the strike, “the principle of ‘No Work, No Pay’ remains an extant provision of Nigerian labour law, and the Federal Government will invoke it.”
While respecting university autonomy, the government urged the union to allow certain governance issues—“statutory responsibilities of university governing councils”—to be handled at the institutional level.
The statement concluded, “The future of our children and the stability of our universities must take priority over disputes.
“The government has shown sincerity and commitment through engagements and policy actions. We are confident that, with continued dialogue, every legitimate concern can be addressed and resolved without shutting down our campuses. Our students must remain in school.”
