By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) on Thursday, alerted that the ‘no work, no pay ‘ policy of the Federal government is just a way to kill public universities in Nigeria as well as evading its responsibilities on education.
ERC raised the alarm in a statement by its Deputy National Coordinator, Ogunjimi Isaac and National Mobilization Officer,
Michael Lenin, made available to journalists in Ibadan.
According to the statement, the Federal government’s step is an attempt to make its attack on public education unchallenged and criminalize strikes”, saying it is a ploy at reducing lecturers at the public Universities to casual workers, as well as attacking public universities in the country.
” As far as we are concerned, the ‘no work, no pay ‘ policy of the government is condemnable as it is an attempt to make its attack on public education unchallenged and criminalize strikes which it usually forces on workers by not implementing agreements. For a government that has poorly funded public education and left all of the demands of education workers unattended to, a “no work, no pay” is just a way of evading responsibility”, it said.
ERC added, ” If allowed to succeed, the “no work no pay” policy will only mean that the education sector will be thrown into deeper crisis. The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) condemns the payment of incomplete salaries to lecturers of federal universities for the month of October 2022.”
” This ridiculous act shows the gross irresponsibility of the government and its continuous attempt to destroy public education by reducing lecturers to casual workers is a clear attack on public education”
ERC maintained ” besides, this action which shows a lack of good faith on the part of the Federal Government and demonstrates its contempt for academic staff reinforces the fear being nursed in some quarters that none of the issues for which ASUU embarked on the prolonged strike would be genuinely addressed”.
” We demand immediate full payment of salaries and payment of the eight months backlog of salaries owed to lecturers. We also warn the government not to set the stage for another disruption of the academic calendar through its flagrant disregard for collective bargaining agreement.
” For this reason, we urge the FG to ensure that all subsisting disputes between it and ASUU and other unions are resolved for the sake of Nigerian students”, saying, ” unfortunately,
it is students who will suffer for whatever ruinous crisis the government throws public education into.”
It pointed out, “this is why the ERC urges Nigerian students to rise up in solidarity to demand that the government stops the “no work, no pay” policy and that all collective bargaining agreements are met.”
The body noted, ” aside that education workers are perennially forced to embark on strike action due to the grave irresponsibility of government, all public institutions either lacks basic teaching and learning facilities or those available are in terrible state”.
” This is why a joint struggle of students and education workers is needed. The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) strongly supports the agitations of ASUU and other unions; and call for support from students and the working masses as it is necessary to ensure government is forced to accede to these demands.
” We commend the initiative from the National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU for congresses and protest to be organized across various chapters of the union. We urge students to join ASUU members in their respective campuses in solidarity against the callous and irresponsible action of Buhari government which can plunge universities into another crisis”.
