The federal government Tuesday released the sum of N30 billion to the Ministry of Education for onward disbursement to the universities for the payment of earned allowances of the striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Making this disclosure, yesterday, at a meeting with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), at the state Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, Benue State Governor, Mr. Gabriel Suswan reiterated his appeal to the striking university lecturers to return to the classrooms in the interest of the future leaders of the country.
Suswan, who is also the chairman of the Needs Implementation Committee, said the money for the earned allowances was released yesterday afternoon, admitting that, although there was delay in the commencement of the implementation of the existing agreements, the government had already addressed almost all of the demands of ASUU except on the allowances.
He also described as ‘unfair’ comments allegedly made by ASUU leadership that the government was insincere and that the government disbursement of N100 billion for infrastructure needs of the institutions was done without consultations.
“ASUU participated in all the meetings where it was agreed to raise N100 billion, which has already been distributed to all the universities. In fact, the president of ASUU nominated one Dr. Baffa, who is very resourceful. He did all the work, and presented the criteria for distribution of the money which is based on the population of each university,” he explained.
Suswan added that after the draft distribution was drawn up, he asked the union to go through the document for their satisfaction.
“Instead, they wrote me a letter accusing the committee of insincerity. The councils are the ones that would verify what we are owing, go and ask them. ASUU said no, that unless we put N92 billion on the table,” he added.
The governor clarified that the government cannot hand over any money blindly unless it verified the need. This, he said, was necessary so that every university would be allocated the money it needed for the earned allowances.
On the N100 billion for infrastructure, which had already been disbursed to the schools, Suswan said the governing councils would be the ones to award the contracts, and not the Needs Implementation committee.
Suswan also alleged that the strike had assumed a political dimension. He appealed to all well-meaning Nigerians to work with the federal government to find a permanent solution to the incessant strikes, which held the danger of seeing to the production of mediocre graduates.
He also urged NANS not to embark on a protest as being canvassed in some quarters. Instead, he appealed to the union to urge ASUU to return to work.
“To raise N100 billion in two weeks is not an easy task. We are making efforts to ensure that this intervention is sustained beyond 2013,” he said.
NANS President, Mr. Yinka Gbadebo, in an earlier address, expressed the intention of the students’ body to embark on a protest either against the government or ASUU.
He also urged the government to consider the idea of interest-free loans for tertiary education students to ease the financial burden on those, who cannot easily pay for their education.
NANS does even have a ground yet.They are still tottering on whose party they should support.NANS stop fooling us students.Since FG has refused to ensure the full implementation then, we should go on protest to block the major roads to stop all this ugly delay.ASUU must be accorded every support and NANS should stop that statement that they don’t have a party they support.Weak NANS.
Hnnn…fG.shud beta do smthin real fast,b4 we (students) get nut withot a screw 2 drive…
There is notin political here, why are dis piple dis wicked? We are craying and dey are not making any effort, it is jst 4 dem 2 come up 2 tink of retaining dere positions. Dere is notin political, giv asuu wat dey want and we are bak 2 skul, it is jst dat de FG doesn’t want 2 follow due process. Imagine, a serious issue here is 2 implement an agreement, notin political. Implement and play ur politics, asuu is nt part of ur dubious politics pls.
Both FG & ASUU, should know that two wrong can never make a right. And God is watching them, in all that, they are doing. God is the father to the poor one’s, becouse i believe is only the poor student that suffer the triking action emback by ASUU.let be sincere in all that we are doing. But i also believe that, if to say it’s a political issue FG may have release hundred of trilion now. Since it’s EDUCATION?. domping ground no body care’s,becouse all well to person their children are studing abroad. God who is seeing every things, will reward each of us according to what we are doing on earth.
Infact am fraustrated rt nw as a Nigerian student. Let d whole world hear me, ASUU n FG r deceiving us, they dnt want us 2 grow up like dem, they r greedy, non of dem is being truthful. As 4 ASUU, wot r u even teaching us sef dat u r talking abt end allowance? Is it nt 2 collect sortin n sleep wit female students? And also give assignments 2 b submited wit #1000 4 each student? Even if FG givs us glass houses 4 lecture halls, is dat goin 2 impact knowledge into our heads? U pple r jst fightin 4 ur selfish intrest. Am young bt I know my country. I know dat FG signed dat agreement bc of pressure n wanted d strike 2 b cald off. In a way, d FG has d intrest of d students @ heart. Bt 4 u Asuu, hw do u intend 2 help d students? As 4 u NANS, u beta b wise n fight 4 d intrest of students n dnt allow corruption 2 spoil d aluta spirit. B wise FG, B wise ASUU. The world is watching u.
Nigeria students are out of the equation, Most Lecturers hardly Lecture, students pay money and even sleep with lecturers just to pass exams, and i keep hearing ALUTA ALUTA, yet students arent addressing this issue. WEAK GENERATION
The same old story….repeating the same old gist all over and over again. “Wen 2 elephants fyt, d ground Suffers” bunch of criminals and self minded MEN!!!