The management of Nasarawa State University, Keffi that recently opted out of the over seven months strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has enjoined its academic staff to comply with the university’s directive on resumption or forfeit their salaries and risk facing disciplinary action.
The university’s decision to pull out of the strike came after the intervention of the Nasarawa State government which agreed to pay the salaries of the university staff in order to facilitate the resumption of academic activities in the state-owned varsity.
Subsequently, the management of the university, at its special management meeting held on Friday September 23, 2022 announced Monday, September 26, 2022, as the resumption date for all categories of staff, while the commencement of lectures date was set for October 4, 2022.
In order to ensure strict compliance with the directive, the management in an internal memo directed to the head of departments and deans of faculties, directed the HODs to monitor the staff compliance and take the list of those who resumed for further submission to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed on or before Friday, September 30, 2022.
In the memo dated September 26, 2022 and signed by the registrar of the university, Bala I. Ahmed, the management made it clear that payment of salaries will purely be based on resumption, emphasizing that any lecturers who fails to resume will not only be risking the forfeiting of his or her salary but could also face disciplinary action from the university management.
The memo posted on the university’s official Facebook page today and titled “RE: REOPENING OF THE UNIVERSITY” reads:
“I have the instruction of the Management to inform all Deans and Heads of Department of the re-opening of the University for full academic activities with effect from Monday, September 26, 2022.
“Accordingly, lectures for all returning students for the 2nd semester shall commence on Tuesday, October 4, 2022.
“By this arrangement, all Heads of Department are directed to monitor their Staff and ensure that they fully comply with the instruction of the Management. HoD’s are further directed to take a list of staff who reported to duty for onward submission to the Vice-Chancellor on or before Friday, September 30, 2022.
“Staff are to note that henceforth, release and payment of salary will be predicated on resumption of the University. Any staff who fails to resume work will risk forfeiting his/her salary and may be subjected to a disciplinary process. Please be guided accordingly.”
It will be recalled that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), had on February 14, 2022, embarked on a four-weeks warning strike over the inability of the Government to meet the labour Union’s demands. The initial four-weeks warning strike has however been extended to more than seven months.
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