The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, says there will be consequences if the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities refuses government’s overture to return to the negotiating table.
Ngige disclosed this on Sunday in a statement signed by his media aide, Emmanuel Nzomiwu, in Enugu.
The statement said Ngige spoke in his hometown Alor, Anambra State, where he donated palliative worth N15 million to vulnerable households to cushion the COVID-19 effects.
He said the Federal Government could activate relevant labour laws to deal with the situation.
He said the law permits the Federal Government to approach the National Arbitration Panel and even the National Industrial Court.
The Minister said the ASUU strike was all about the disagreement on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.
Ngige said: “Any other reason given by ASUU is an alibi. I invited ASUU for a zoom meeting in compliance with COVID-19 guidelines, but they insisted on meeting me face to face.
“We have labour laws and hierarchy of arbitration. There is the NAP and NIC. If I am tired, I can refer it there.
“So the better thing is for them to come and negotiate on firsthand basis where we are not bringing an external arbitrator.”
According to him, ASUU as an employee lacks the right to dictate to the Federal Government on how to receive wages.
Ngige said: “The important thing is for your salaries and wages to come to you.
“As a workman, you receive your pay as compensation for services rendered.
“So, that is on the statute everywhere.”
Ngige said some of the people drawing salaries from the Federal Government coffers were ghost workers.
He said there had been a shortfall in tax returns by the various universities over time, which accumulated to over N800 billion.
He said the Joint Tax Board had penalised the Federal Government for non-remittance of the monies to the benefiting state governments.
The Minister said it was sad that ASUU had been uncompromising in the dispute.
Ngige said: “We had discussions and they said some of the agreements we had in Memorandum of Action 2019, were not implemented vigorously.
“We agreed that they will be paid N25 billion for their earned academic allowances and another N25 billion for revitalisation of university system.
“The Federal Government paid the first tranche of N50 billion and N25 billion. Thereafter, there was the issue of National Minimum Wage and its consequential adjustment.”
He said the Federal Government spent N160 billion in the process.
Ngige said the Federal Government could not pay ASUU the next tranche of N25 billion in October last year.
He added: “They said there is a breach.
“We said we are owing.
“That we can pay it.
“So, we restructured it and agreed that the government can pay them N20 billion and another N20 billion for earned academic allowances between April 2020 and May.
“We all agreed.”