Senator Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment
By NewsBits
As the saga between the Federal Government of Nigeria and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) regarding the prolonged strike continues, the Federal Government has come out to defend the pro-rata payment to ASUU members in October, saying they cannot be paid for work not done.
Senator Chris Ngige Nigeria’s Minister of Labour and Employment, through the ministry’s spokesman, Mr Olajide Oshundun, also dismissed media reports that the government was biased in paying the university teachers.
“They were paid in pro-rata to the number of days that they worked in October, counting from the day that they suspended their industrial action,” the statement partly read.
Pro-rata was done because you cannot pay them for work not done. Everybody’s hands are tied,” he said. Also, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila on Monday, said the green chamber is making arrangements for a N170 billion fund for ASUU in the 2023 budget.
“We are currently working on the 2023 Appropriations Bill, which includes the sum of one hundred and seventy billion naira (N170,000,000,000.00) to provide a level of increment in the welfare package of university lecturers,” the statement read.
