This was announced in an internal memo issued by the university’s Registrar, Yahya I. Mohammed, dated May 29, 2024.
The management of the University of Abuja in Nigeria’s capital has announced enforcing a ‘no work, no pay’ policy for academic staff members.
Lecturers must now sign a daily register to prove they are present at work.
This was announced in an internal memo issued by the university’s Registrar, Yahya I. Mohammed, dated May 29, 2024.
According to the memo, all lecturers are mandated to write their names and sign daily registers provided by their respective departments to monitor those not showing up for work.
The registrar wrote: “I have been directed to inform you that effective from Thursday, 30 May, 2024, you are to open an attendance register in your faculty for academic staff that are working or those returning to work to sign at 8.00 a.m. everyday.
“All academic members of staff are advised to sign the register within two (2) days deadline and teach their classes as well as carrying out other duties assigned them by their Heads of Department and the University.
“Consequently, and unfailingly from 5.00 p.m. on 31 May, 2024, the names of staff that signed indicating they are teaching or returned to teach should be forwarded for submission to IPPIS for payment of May, 2024, salary accordingly
“The University of Abuja is hereby enforcing the 'No Work No Pay Policy" of the Federal Government, and accordingly, individual who failed to sign would be reported to the Honourable Minister of Education for appropriate action.”
The policy was implemented by the government of Muhammadu Buhari in 2022 after the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Educational Institutions (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) embarked on an industrial actions.
The policy was condemned by the Workers and Youth Solidarity, which described it as an intimidation tactic against university workers.
The group said, “To us in the WYSN, the 'No work, no pay' policy is an attempt to intimidate the striking workers. ASUU members haven't received their salary for three months now in a Federal Government attempt to force them back to work.
“At the same time, the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, has spent N100m on an All Progressives Congress presidential expression of interest and nomination form!
“Despite the crisis in the Universities at the moment, the wives of Vice-Chancellors across Nigerian universities were set to travel to Istanbul, Turkey, for a five-day ‘leadership course!’ The plans were cancelled due to public condemnation.”