By Mahdi Waziri Isa
The Federal Ministry of Education has issued a directive to all vice-chancellors of federal universities on Monday, ordering the immediate enforcement of the “No Work, No Pay” policy against academic staff participating in the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike, which commenced at midnight.
In a circular signed by the office of the Honourable Minister of Education, the ministry expressed “dissatisfaction” over the union’s decision to embark on industrial action despite repeated calls for constructive dialogue to resolve outstanding issues in the tertiary institutions.
The move comes hours after ASUU’s National Executive Council declared a two-week warning strike, effective from 12:01 a.m. today, as a final push for the government to address long-standing demands including funding shortfalls, unpaid salaries, and improved welfare.
The ministry’s letter, referenced HME/FME/CORR.GEN/VOL.A/15 and dated October 13, 2025, invokes provisions of the Labour Laws of the Federation to justify the policy. It mandated vice-chancellors to conduct a roll call and physical headcount of all academic staff in their institutions, followed by the submission of a comprehensive report detailing those present and performing official duties versus those absent or actively participating in the strike.
Furthermore, the directive requires that salaries for the duration of the work stoppage be withheld from non-compliant staff. “Ensure that salary payment for the period of work stoppage is withheld from those who fail to perform their duties,” the letter stated.
The ministry has, however, exempted academic staff affiliated with the Congress of University Academics (CONUA) and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) who choose not to join the ASUU action. These groups “shall not be subjected to any form of salary withholding,” the circular clarifies, acknowledging their decision to dissociate from the strike.
CONUA, a breakaway faction from ASUU, has publicly distanced itself from the industrial action, urging members to continue teaching and research activities.
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education, maintains that ASUU’s demands have been fully met, leaving the union with “no justification” for the disruption.