In a letter dated March 30, 2023, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Nwabueze Ngige, urged the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning to direct the payment of outstanding salaries to 204 lecturers at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka Anambra State. Ngige claimed that these lecturers, who are part of the College of Health Sciences, did not in any time participate in the ASUU strike that occurred in 2022. However, it has been revealed that these lecturers did take part in the industrial action.

Ngige’s letter requested exemption for the lecturers from the application of Section 43 of the Trade Disputes Act, which resulted in the withholding of salaries. He cited letters from the Deans of the Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, and Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, along with attachments, supporting the request for payment. The Minister emphasized that the lecturers had fulfilled their duties during the eight-month strike period.

Contrary to Ngige’s assertion, evidence confirms that the lecturers did join the strike. On March 21, 2022, the university management ordered the closure of the school, and a memo from the Registrar’s office instructed students to vacate the campus. The closure was a direct result of the ASUU strike, and normal academic activities were suspended until October 17, 2022, when the school announced the resumption of classes.

Interestingly, it was reported on May 19 that Ngige had directed the payment of salaries to the ASUU faction aligned with the government. This move caused further discontent among ASUU members, as the union had been considering legal action against the government regarding the withheld salaries. The government had previously announced plans to pay the withheld salaries of lecturers under the breakaway faction known as the Congress of University Academics (CONUA), despite objections from ASUU.

Femi Falana (SAN), the counsel for ASUU, stated that the union was waiting for the government to pay lecturers under CONUA before deciding on its next course of action.