Tinubu Revokes ‘No Work, No Pay’ Order Against ASUU, Resident Doctors

 …Appoints Shaakaa Chira New Auditor-General Of The Federation

President Bola Tinubu has directed relevant government agencies in­volved in the implemen­tation of the ‘no work, no pay’ policy against the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to waive that policy in the interest of the affected union.

He has also 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.

The ‘No Work, No Pay’ Order was invoked on NARD following the commencement of their in­dustrial action which began on July 26, 2023.

Tinubu also directed that the four months salary of the aca­demic staff be paid to the affected workers.

According to the presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale on Fri­day, the decision was in exercise of Prerogative of Mercy which the President exercises.

Recall that the ‘No Work, No Pay’ Order 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.

Ngelale said, “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.

“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,” Tinubu stated.

On the waiver approved for the striking members of the resident doctors, Ngelale said the Federal Government came to the decision after several constructive engage­ments with NARD.

He noted that, the Resident Doctors called off their strike on August 12, 2023, while 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.

The media aide said, “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.

“This 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,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has also approved the ap­pointment of Mr. Shaakaa Chira as the substantive Auditor-Gen­eral of the Federation, as recom­mended by the Federal Civil Ser­vice Commission (FCSC).