President Bola Tinubu has ordered payment of four months out of eight months of the withheld salaries of members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Also, the members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) are to get their 17-day salary that was withheld while they were on strike last August.
But the reprieve comes with a caveat: they are to sign a Document of Understanding (DoU) with relevant ministries to establish that this exceptional waiver granted by the President will be the last to be granted to ASUU and all other Education Sector Unions.
“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),” presidential spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale said in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
The union had embarked on the eight-month industrial action netween February and October 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.”