Governor Badaru assures Nans that government is working to clear lecturers' salary arrears

GOVERNOR Mohammed Badaru of Jigawa State has revealed that the federal government is working closely with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (Asuu) to clear the salary arrears of lecturers to enable them return to work as agreed when they ended their strike.

Since February, most tertiary institutions across Nigeria have been closed as a result of a strike by lecturer's union Asuu. Due to an inability of the government and the union to reach an agreement on pay and conditions of academics, tertiary institutions have remained shut but on September 21, the federal government secured a National Industrial Court ruling which ordered the lecturers back to work.

Following the ruling, Asuu appealed the judgement and on Friday October 7, the Federal Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld the National Industrial Court judgement. Ordering the lecturers back to work after dismissing the union’s application for a stay of execution, the appellate court asked the union to call off the industrial action.

Now that the lecturers have returned to work, the federal government and the 36 state governors are trying to figure out how to offset the arrears they are owed. According to Governor Badaru, they are considering using legal ways to resolve Asuu challenges so that academics could go on smoothly in the tertiary institutions.

Speaking during the inauguration of the national executive council of the National Association of Nigerian Students (Nans) in Abuja, Governor Badaru  promised to support the association while improving their welfare of students. While congratulating the Nans president Usman Barambu and his executives, the governor called on them to  leverage on the successes of their predecessors to pilot the affairs of the association.

Governor Badaru said: “We have already started and we will get to the bottom of it. We pray that this will be resolved and we pray that there won’t be any other strike because the students have suffered enough and I am sure the president is aware of this.

“So, we are looking at legal ways to finalise the salary payment. I assure you that together with all the 36 governors, we will support you and make sure things improve for the betterment of the students.

“Election is a difficult task and we must do it with the fear of God and I know Barambu will lead this organisation with the fear of God and I know with your exco, you will have a wonderful future. I will be with you in difficult times, I will guide you, I will support you and I will open other doors for you and do our best to see to the elevation of this association which will remain the solid foundation for the development of this association.”