The Federal Government has warned that it will enforce the “no work, no pay” policy if the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) goes ahead with its planned 2-week strike scheduled to start on Monday.
The government in in a joint statement issued by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmad, insisted that dialogue remains the most viable route to resolving outstanding issues in the tertiary education sector.
According to the statement, the government has already made a comprehensive offer to the union addressing its key concerns, ranging from welfare and working conditions to institutional governance and is still awaiting ASUU’s official response.
The ministers said President Bola Tinubu’s administration has demonstrated “commitment and sincerity” through several interventions in the education sector, including the approval of a robust teaching allowance aimed at motivating lecturers across public universities.
“While government remains committed to peaceful dialogue, it will equally enforce existing laws to protect the integrity of our education system and ensure accountability,” the statement read.
The ministers said the Tinubu administration remains dedicated to the welfare of lecturers and the stability of the university system, noting that its ongoing reforms are anchored on fairness, accountability, and institutional strengthening.
They also reiterated that certain aspects of ASUU’s demands especially those concerning internal governance, appointments, and promotions fall within the statutory responsibilities of university governing councils.
“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,” they added.
Naijaonpoint earlier reported that ASUU had rejected the Federal Government’s last-minute appeal to halt its planned warning strike scheduled to begin on October 13, describing the intervention as a little too late.