Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto (UDUS) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has frowned at the attitude of the minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, for facilitating biased and selected payment of seven-month salary arrears to professional medical members of ASUU in the university.
Addressing a press conference in Sokoto on Wednesday, the chairman of the union, Prof Nura AlMustapha, said the action of minister wa s to further polarize and sectionalise the ASUU in the branch.
Mustapha said “during the strike all lecturers including the medical lecturers of the university were also on strike.
“The minister having realised his failed attempt to divide the rank and file of ASUU, specifically targeting UDUS branch for obvious mischievous reasons has now come up with another treacherous move aimed at further dividing the union.
“Further investigation revealed that the selected payment was made due to a letter written to the minister of Finance exempting some lecturers from the application of ‘no work no pay rule.’
“This press conference is to put the record straight and expose the heinous activities of minister of Labour and Employment, a medical doctor, approved the salary payment of members that are only medical doctors in the university.
“This is to favour his professional colleagues with the intention of sabotaging the union in all front and further creates disharmony in the university system,” he said.
The ASUU leader said the minister treacherously used the position of those staff as consultants with the teaching hospital to argue for the payment which is completely a different case with their role and membership of university Community as academics staff.
