Adamu suggested that the affected students should “take ASUU to court” to claim damages incurred over the strike period.
Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, has said that the government will not pay the salaries of lecturers within the six months of non-academic activities.
The minister said ASUU had not called off the strike because of their demand that all salaries during the industrial action be paid, a request he said the government turned down.
Adamu also advised the university students to sue the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for compensation for the time wasted during the strike.
The Minister spoke Thursday at the 47th Session of the State House Ministerial Briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
Adamu suggested that the affected students should “take ASUU to court” to claim damages incurred over the strike period.
According to him, the Federal Government bears no liability to compensate millions of students grounded for six months over lost time.
He also said if the students are determined to get compensated, they should take ASUU to court.
SaharaReporters reported that the lecturers Union had embarked on a four-week warning strike on February 14, 2022 to force President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government to implement the 2009 FG/ASUU Agreement which stipulated how the nation's public universities will be funded to meet international standard.
On March 14, the union extended the industrial action by another two months to allow the government to meet all of its demands. A 12-week extension was announced on May 9.
Since May 9, the union has remained on strike, vowing to persist until its demands are met.
The lecturers among others things are seeking improved welfare, revitalisation of public universities and academic autonomy.
One bone of contention for the academics is the non-payment of university revitalisation funds, which amounts to about N1.1 trillion.
But the Federal Government has said it lacked the resources to implement the agreement, citing low oil prices during the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.