Lecturers to Stay Off Classrooms if Salaries Are Delayed — ASUU Warns

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a nationwide directive mandating its members to withhold their services any month salaries are delayed beyond the third day of the new month.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Tribune Online, ASUU President, Professor Christopher Piwuna, explained that the decision was triggered by persistent salary delays allegedly caused by the Federal Government’s poor handling of the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS)—the new platform adopted by the union after rejecting the controversial Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

Piwuna accused the government of deliberately frustrating university workers for opting out of IPPIS, claiming that lecturers who migrated to GIFMIS now face repeated payment delays while others under IPPIS continue to receive timely salaries.

“Government is punishing us for rejecting IPPIS. There is no other explanation for why our salaries are no longer paid when due. It’s becoming unbearable to work without pay, food, or transport,” he said.

According to him, the ASUU National Executive Council (NEC) has resolved that if salaries are not paid by the third day of a new month, lecturers across public universities should immediately halt all academic and administrative duties until they are paid.

The union has since communicated the directive to all its branches.

Piwuna also criticised the government’s failure to provide a clear explanation for the recurring delays and reiterated ASUU’s demand for the swift conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement.

“The current economic reality is harsh on all Nigerians, including our members. The least we deserve is the prompt payment of our wages,” he said.

The development comes amid renewed tension over unresolved issues between the union and the Federal Government, including the delayed release of revitalisation funds and the controversy surrounding the student loan scheme.

Observers warn that the new directive could trigger another nationwide disruption of academic activities if the payment delays persist.