The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has instructed its members nationwide to stop work in any month their salaries are not paid by the third day. The union emphasized that its members will not resume duties until they receive their outstanding salaries.
ASUU President, Professor Christopher Piwuna, made this known in an exclusive interview with the Nigerian Tribune on Monday night. He explained that the decision follows what the union describes as a deliberate effort by the Federal Government to frustrate the implementation of the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), which replaced the controversial Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
Professor Piwuna alleged that the government is punishing the academic community for rejecting the IPPIS platform, pointing out that while civil servants still on IPPIS are paid promptly, university staff under GIFMIS continue to face salary delays.
“We believe this is a form of punishment for exiting IPPIS,” he said. “Our colleagues under IPPIS receive their salaries on time, while those of us who moved to GIFMIS are left waiting each month. There’s no explanation from the government for this recurring delay.”
He stressed that the union can no longer tolerate working conditions where members are expected to perform duties without timely compensation. “We cannot work without money to eat, commute, or meet our responsibilities,” he added.
ASUU’s national leadership, backed by a resolution of its National Executive Council (NEC), has now directed all branches to enforce the “no pay, no work” policy if salaries are not received by the third day of any month.
“The economic situation in the country is dire, and our members are struggling like every other Nigerian,” Piwuna said. “This is why we continue to call on the government to conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement, so we can all have clarity and stability moving forward.”
