Speaker didn’t commit to offsetting arrears owed ASUU during strike – Reps

The House of Representatives said at no point did Femi Gbajabiamila, the speaker of the green chamber commit to offsetting the arrears of salaries owed members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for the time they were on strike.

Benjamin Kalu, spokesperson of the House, said this in reaction to an interview granted by Emmanuel Osodeke, the ASUU president, accusing Gbajabiamila, of using deception to convince the union to call off its strike action.

Kalu said Osodeke specifically alleged that the speaker failed to deliver on his written commitment that the government would, without delay, offset the arrears of salaries owed to members of the union for the time they were on strike.

He said the House helped resolve the strike by making commitments to improve the welfare package of university lecturers and revitalisation funds to improve the infrastructure and operations of federal universities.

“These commitments are reflected in the 2023 Appropriation Bill, which includes N170 billion to provide a level of increment in the welfare package of university lecturers and additional N300 billion in revitalisation funds.

Read also: Why Nigerians should vote for detribalised leaders in 2023 – Gbajabiamila

“Furthermore, the House of Representatives continues to work with stakeholders; the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to facilitate the adoption of elements of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

“This effort is being supervised by the Chairman of the House Committee on Tertiary Education, Rep. Aminu Suleiman,” the House spokesperson said.

According to Kalu, the ASUU president knows that the Federal Government of Nigeria is under no obligation to pay university lecturers’ salaries for the duration they were on strike.

“This is a settled matter in law. See Section 43(1)(a) Trade Disputes Act, Cap T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN). The Executive decision not to pay salaries to lecturers for the time spent on strike is warranted by the government’s legitimate interest in preventing moral hazard and discouraging disruptive industrial actions.

“Nonetheless, the Speaker has made interventions for an exemption in this regard, and Professor Osodeke is well aware of this.The public interest in ensuring a well-functioning tertiary education sector is a matter of paramount concern for all who understand the transformational role of education in any society.

“For this reason, the 9th House of Representatives has been consistent in our efforts to explore avenues for reform and improvement to the framework of public education in the country from basic education through tertiary.

“Our objectives in this regard will not be achieved when stakeholders choose to ignore substantive issues and the consideration of bold ideas in favour of cheap blackmail and immoral propaganda.

“Professor Osodeke’s bad-faith approach to negotiations and his affinity for political brinkmanship are significant reasons the universities were on strike for so long. His ongoing interventions continue to threaten the progress being made to preclude the possibility of further disruptions to the academic calendar of the universities,” he said.

The House spokesperson called on Osodeke to in his capacity as President of ASUU, desist from making further misleading statements against the House and the speaker, Gbajabiamila.

“There is no place for belligerence and selfish agitation in this critical moment. This is the time for calm heads and steady hands, working together for the common good,” Kalu added.