NLC Warns FG Against Threats To ASUU Over Strike

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has criticised the Federal Government’s warning to enforce the “No Work, No Pay” policy against striking university lecturers, saying intimidation will not solve the ongoing crisis in the education sector.

The reaction follows the two-week warning strike declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over the government’s failure to implement past agreements. NLC President Joe Ajaero said the lecturers’ decision was justified, describing it as a reaction to years of neglect, poor funding, and broken promises.

Ajaero stated that the government had failed to respect agreements it willingly signed, leaving the public university system underfunded and demoralised. He said the crisis was a result of government inaction, not ASUU’s defiance, noting that lecturers were only demanding fair treatment and adequate conditions to perform their duties.

He described the “No Work, No Pay” threat as misplaced, insisting that the real breach of contract lies with the government. According to him, lecturers are willing to teach but have been repeatedly hindered by poor conditions and unpaid commitments. He argued that the proper principle should be “No Pay, No Work,” not the reverse.

The NLC accused the government of deliberately weakening the public education system while the children of the elite study in private schools at home and abroad. It warned that this neglect continues to harm children from working-class and low-income families, worsening inequality and social division.

The labour body expressed full support for ASUU and other unions in the tertiary education sector, urging the government to end its threats and address the core issues contained in the negotiated agreements.

Ajaero said the NLC would monitor the situation closely and, if the government remains unresponsive after the warning strike, it will convene an emergency meeting with its affiliates to decide on further actions.

He warned that the patience of Nigerian workers is running out, urging the government to use the two-week period to come up with a concrete plan to fulfil its obligations to ASUU.

According to the NLC, the lecturers’ struggle represents a wider fight for public education and the future of Nigeria. It said workers across the country stand ready to defend that cause if the government refuses to act.