Tinubu approves payment of withheld salaries to ASUU members, resident doctors
By Emma Ogbuehi
President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, approved a partial waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” order invoked against members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for their eight-month strike in 2022.
In the same vein, he also directed an exceptional last waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” order instituted against members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), following their 17-day industrial action between July 26 and August 12.
Both approvals, which were contained in statements by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, were said to have been given on a Principle of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy and will see, in the case of the university lecturers, ASUU members receiving salaries of four months out of eight.
According to the statement, the president granted the partial waiver to ASUU members with a mandatory requirement that both the Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment must secure a Document of Understanding (DoU) that this would be the last of such waiver by the federal government.
The statement said: “Invoking the Principle of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy, President Bola Tinubu has approved the partial waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” Order that was instituted against striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) following the commencement of their eight-month industrial action which began on February 14, 2022, and was terminated on October 17, 2022.
“In view of his determination to mitigate the difficulties being felt during the implementation of key economic reforms in the country, as well as his recognition of the faithful implementation of terms which were agreed upon during the fruitful deliberations between ASUU and the Federal Government of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has directed the grant of an exceptional last waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” Order on ASUU, which will allow for the previously striking members of ASUU to receive four (4) months of salary accruals out of the eight months of salary which was withheld during the eight-month industrial action undertaken by the union.
READ ALSO: TheNiche Lecture 2023: Why does Nigeria stride and slide?
“The president has directed the grant of the waiver with a mandatory requirement that the Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment must secure a Document of Understanding (DoU) establishing that this exceptional waiver granted by the President will be the last one to be granted to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and all other Education Sector Unions.”
Similarly, Ngelale said President Tinubu waived the order on resident doctors, invoking the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy, adding that he had also considered the faithful implementation of the terms agreement by both parties.
He, however, tasked both the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to ensure it is clear to doctors that exceptional waiver would be the last that would be granted the association.
According to the statement, the exceptional waiver granted will, in effect, pave the way for the withheld part of salary to be released to members of the association.
He said: “Invoking the Principle of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy, President Bola Tinubu has approved the waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” Order that was instituted against striking members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on August 1, 2023, following the commencement of their industrial action which began on July 26, 2023.
“After several constructive engagements between the Federal Government and NARD, the Resident Doctors called off their strike on August 12, 2023. The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation was directed to withhold all salaries accrued by striking NARD members during the 17 days of their strike action.
“In view of the faithful implementation of terms which were agreed upon during the fruitful deliberations between the Resident Doctors and the Federal Government of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has directed the grant of an exceptional last waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” Order on Resident Doctors, which will allow for the members of the NARD to receive the salaries, which were previously withheld during the 17-day strike action.
“The president has directed the grant of the waiver with a mandatory requirement that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment must secure a Document of Understanding (DoU) establishing that this exceptional waiver granted by the President will be the last one to be granted to the National Association of Resident Doctors and all other Health sector unions.”
