FG Releases ASUU’s Withheld Salaries

The Federal Government has commenced payment of withheld salaries of university lecturers under the aegis of Academic Staff Union of the Universities (ASUU).

The Director of Press in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), Bawa Mokwa confirmed, the development to The Nation on Monday, February 19.

Mokwa said Federal Government released two months salary arrears to the affected lecturers over the weekend while another tranche of two months’ salaries would be released to the lecturers later on Monday.

Mokwa disclosed that government had resolved to offset the eight months salary arrears of university lecturers, who embarked on an 8-month strike during the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The OAGF spokesman did not say when the remaining four months would be paid, but he assured that government would pay the lecturers.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari invoked a ‘No Work, No Pay policy’ against some university lecturers, who embarked on a crippling strike that lasted for eight months in 2022.

Before government started paying off the withheld salaries, members of ASUU, the umbrella body of public university lecturers, had threatened to embark on another strike if the federal government failed to pay them their withheld salaries.

Mokwa also added that only federal university lecturers under the IPPIS platform were being paid while state universities are responsibilities of their respective state governments.