Senator Ali Ndume (APC-Borno South) has urged the Federal Government to slash the salaries of the National Assembly members by 50 percent to give it to the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, so as to meet their pressing demands.
Ndume stated this while reacting to the alleged half-pay to the ASUU members in Maiduguri on Thursday.
The former Senate Leader advised the federal government to constitute a high-powered standing committee of respected educationists and patriotic Nigerians to meet with the leadership of ASUU to address the burning issues.
He said, “Even if it means that the National Assembly will reduce sitting allowances or be paid on casual allowances basis whenever they sit at the Lower and upper chambers, by cutting the recurrent expenditure in the budget of the federal lawmakers to settle the ASUU arrears, let it be.
“We only assemble twice or so in a week and get paid as such.”
According to Ndume, civil servants who worked from home during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic were paid their full monthly salaries and allowances.
He said, “So why will the federal government cut university lecturers’ salaries because they went on legitimate strike? Constitutionally, they’re fighting for their rights and privileges.”
Ndume added, “As a matter of priority and as a public servant in the legislative chambers, we do not work, so why don’t you just give us half salaries and then pay ASUU.”
