‘Implementation of ‘no-work, no-pay’ policy would complicate crisis in tertiary education’

As uncertainty looms over possibility of fresh strike action by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) regarding the Federal Government’s of ‘no work no pay’ policy, the president of Ibadan Varsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF), Dr Emmanuel Ajala, has said that the development may further complicate crisis bedeviling tertiary education in Nigeria.

He emphasised the need for the government not to implement such policy now in the interest of the students and parents after the suspended eight months strike action ASUU.

Addressing a press conference, on Saturday, at the University of Ibadan, Ajala stated: “I think our leaders should be able to able to consider our children and parents, who usually bear the brunts over the loggerheads between the ASUU and the government. We feel that if ASUU had taken a strong stance, the government should give them what they want.

“They (ASUU) have rescinded the strike action by going back to work. Having resumed their duties, the government should fulfill the promises made to the leadership of the union during the course of negotiations that led to the calling off of the industrial action.

“The genesis of the perennial ASUU strike is the failure of successive governments to fulfill their promises to the union on some number of issues and this is creating a lot of commotion. Even, if the government don’t have the capacity to fulfill all the promises, it should take its stand and fulfill one or more and let the whole of Nigeria know that they have tried.

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“Right now, the whole of the country has not seen the efforts or signs of the government putting paid to the crisis in the tertiary education sector. On the ‘no-work, no-pay policy’, under normal circumstances, when there is industrial action and we have a rule regarding that, the government is right to say that.

“But, from this perspective, the government should play a considerable role of a big brother to forestall further continuous strikes. I am pleading with the government to pay their money and soft pedal on the implementation of the ‘no-work, no-pay policy.”

Describing Ibadan Varsity Christian Union Alumni Fellowship as an offspring of IVCU, which has existed for 62 years, Ajala explained that “the organisation has continued to produce men and women, who are not only ambassadors for Christ, but have also made landmarks in their chosen profession.”