There is no need for ASUU to continue strike –Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday
said there was no need for the Academic
Staff Union of Universities to continue
with their industrial action.
Mr. Jonathan said this at the inauguration
of the Federal Government sponsored-
Transformation Projects at the Federal
University of Technology , Owerri (FUTO).
Represented by Ruqayyat Rufai, the
Minister of Education, the president said
N30 billion had been released for the
payment of earned allowances in all
public universities.
The president said that the inaugurated
projects were in line with the Federal
Government’s commitment to providing
quality education in the country. He said
the projects were based on the need
assessment exercise conducted by the
Federal Government in universities.
University lecturers have been on a
nationwide strike for over 8 weeks with
the lecturers demanding a full
implementation of a 2009 agreement it
had with the federal government. While
the government says it has provided N30
billion for earned allowances of lecturers,
the lecturers said about N92 billion is
required to completely offset the earned
allowances of the concerned lecturers.
That and other demands are the reasons
the lecturers have continued with their
strike.
Mr. Jonathan also urged the FUTO
administration to engage in research for
national development, while stressing the
need for proper maintenance of
completed projects.
The Vice Chancellor of FUTO, Chidozie
Asiabaka, in his speech, expressed joy at
the completion of the structure.
Mr. Asiabaka noted that the projects had
gone a long way in tackling the dearth of
basic infrastructure in the school.
“The dearth of classrooms, lecture
theatres, power supply, student hostels,
office accommodation, library space and
facilities are major challenges my
administration faced when I assumed
office two years-ago,’’ he said.
The vice chancellor said with the
intervention of the Tertiary Education
Trust Fund, the university got 1000
sitting-capacity lecture theatre, Centre for
Entrepreneurial Studies Building.
He said the inaugurated projects are the
new Engineering Technology, School of
Environmental Technology Building,
Centre for Nuclear Energy Studies and
Training and the School of Agriculture
and Agricultural Technology building
complexes.
The others are the School of
Environmental Technology building,
landscaping of the campus and the
provision of solar energy lights on the
campus.
He also commended the Niger Delta
Development Commission (NDDC) on the
completion of the giant student hostel
building in the university.
He lauded the Federal Government for the
release of N1 billion for the development
of capital projects in each public funded
university.