The Federal Government has cleared the air on the payment of salaries of members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The ministry further dismissed ASUU’s claims that their members were paid half their salary for the month of October.
In a press statement issued by Olajide Oshundun, Head of Press and Public Relations, the Labour Ministry on Saturday, described both reports as “grossly inaccurate, misleading and barefaced distortions of facts”.
ALSO READ: ASUU: ‘We are still vexing, our demands haven’t been met’
The statement explained that members of ASUU were paid their October salary pro-rata, and not half salary as the media widely reported.
According to the ministry, pro-rata was done because they cannot be paid for work not done.
It states that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, never directed the Accountant General of the Federation to pay the university lecturers half-salary.
“Following the ruling of the Court of Appeal, which upheld the order of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), asking ASUU to go back to work, the leadership of the union wrote to the Minister, informing him that they have suspended the strike.
“The Federal Ministry of Education wrote to him in a similar vein and our labour inspectors in various states also confirmed that they have resumed work.
“So, the Minister wrote to the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planning, directing that their salaries should be restored.
“They (ASUU) were paid in pro rata to the number of days that they worked in October, counting from the day that they suspended their industrial action. Pro-rata was done because you cannot pay them for work not done. Everybody’s hands are tied,” the statement partly read.
Consequently, the ministry dismissed the accusation of selective treatment in the payment of salaries to ASUU members, urging the media to cross-check their facts to avoid feeding the public with the wrong information.