The Committee of Pro-Chancellors of the State-Owned Universities (COPSUN), has supported the Federal Government’s decision to sanction the striking lecturers of the nation’s universities under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), saying that the government is in order by the refusal to pay the embattled lecturers during the period of the strike action.
The position of the COPSUN is contained in its letter with reference No. COPSUN/EX/056, dated 19th August 2022, which was written to the Federal Ministry of Education.
The title of the letter is “Commendation for Upholding the Law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
Responding to the letter, the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu through the Director of the University of Education, Mrs R. G. Ilyasu, commended the members of COPSUN for their loyalty to the federal government.
According to a letter with Ref. No. FME/UE/SU/62/4 signed by Ilyasu and dated 26th August 2022 and directed to the COPSUN Chairman, the Minister reiterated the determination of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration not to pay the backlog of the salaries of the lecturers.
The letter titled, “Re-commendation for upholding the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, reads in parts:
“I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of the letter with ref no. COPSUN/EX/056 dated 19th August 2022, on the above subject and to reiterate that the principle of no-work-no-pay is part of our labour law and common law and it is rooted in one of the core principles of the employment relationships.
“Based on the above premise, the FG has refused to concede to ASUU’S demand to be paid the backlog of their withheld emoluments for the past five months because it believes that there should be consequences for their actions. The doctrine of no work no pay is a fundamental axiom in labour and industrial relations.
“Please accept the assurances of the honourable minister’s warm regards.”
