The Federal Government has commenced plans to pay the Congress of University Academics (CONUA) their withheld salaries and rectify the “half salaries” paid to all lecturers under the newly registered union for the month of October 2022, according to The PUNCH.
Sources familiar with the matter made it known to our correspondent on Saturday in Abuja.
Dateline Nigeria reports that the lecturers under CONUA, just like those under ASUU, had their salaries withheld following the invocation of the ‘no work, no pay’ policy by the FG during the height of the ASUU strike.
Though the CONUA coordinator, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, noted that its members were not on strike, the lecturers still had their salaries withheld.
CONUA, a breakaway faction of the Academic Staff of Universities, was registered in October 2022 by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.
Speaking to our correspondent, a source within the ministry, noted, “The government will pay CONUA their withheld salaries, they wrote and it was proven that they didn’t join the strike. The minister has also approved it. So, yes, they will be paid. As for ASUU, I can’t say at the moment but be rest assured that CONUA members will have their withheld allowances and salaries released.”
Confirming the development, Sunmonu said, “We have been told to start some processes with some ministries and agencies, which we have commenced, and we are following up to ensure that the salaries are paid.”
Defending the government’s decision, Ngige noted in a statement on Saturday that the government decided to pay the lecturers “pro-rata.”
“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. Pro-rata was done because you cannot pay for work not done. Everybody’s hands are tied,” Ngige noted.
