ASUU strike: FG asks lecturers to resume work, meets with pro- chancellors, vice-chancellors

The Federal Government has provided
N30 billion to support university councils
in settling the “Earned Allowances” of
university workers.
The Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, Pius Anyim, announced this
at a meeting with Pro-Chancellors and
Vice Chancellors of Public Universities.
Mr. Anyim said the amount would be
disbursed to the various university
councils, which were in position to know,
who was entitled to what and how much,
after verification.
“From the foregoing, it is obvious that the
Federal Government has demonstrated
sufficient commitment to the
implementation of the 2009 FG/ASUU
(Academic Staff Union of Universities)
Agreement.
“By this, it is clear demonstration of
commitment to revitalise the university
system, government hereby, urges every
staff of the nation’s universities to return
to work as all issues are being resolved.
“With particular reference to the
contentious issue of “Earned Allowance’’,
every staff of the universities that is so
entitled should verify his claim with his
university council and accord get paid.
“President Goodluck Jonathan is fully
committed to bringing the students back
to school and appreciates the patience of
parents and students.
“Government is making every effort to
revitalise the university system,” Mr.
Anyim said.
He said that the government
acknowledged the contributions of the
Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and
Senior Staff Association of Nigerian
Universities (SSANU).
Mr. Anyim also acknowledged other
associations, such as National
Association of Nigerian Students (NANS)
and other stakeholders.
Earlier, the Minister of Education,
Ruqayyatu Rufa’I, said that the
government was ready to implement all
the recommendations, particularly as it
relates to revitalisation of the universities.
Ms. Rufa’I said that on the issue of
funding and revitalisation, the Needs
Assessment Committee would address
infrastructure decay in universities.
“I want to assure you that this will be
done in the next few years,” she said.
Also, Kimse Okoro, the Chairman,
Committee of Pro-Chancellors of Federal
Universities, commended the government
for its efforts.
Mr. Okoro called on chancellors to use the
funds judiciously and appealed to ASUU
to show some understanding.
Adolphus Karibi-Whyte, the Chairman,
Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State
Universities, said that the institutions
would put more efforts to ensure that
regulations were followed.
Also, Mohammed Hamise, Chairman of
the Committee of Vice-Chancellors,
commended government for the N30
billion to university councils to defray the
arrears of the peculiar allowances which
had remained outstanding.
“The committee regards this as a positive
step which, if replicated over the next two
years, would solve the problem of the
arrears,’’ he said.
ASUU had earlier described the
government’s N30 billion offer as
insufficient, saying they would not call off
their eight-week-old strike unless
government implements to the latter the
2009 agreement it had with the union.
The Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-
Iweala, had estimated that it would cost
the government N92 billion to implement
the agreement to the latter as it relates to
earned allowance.