The Federal Government has accused the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) of being economical with the truth on lecturers prolonged industrial action in the universities.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Youth and Students Matters, Com. Jude Imagwe, stated that the claim by the union that its action was to restore infrastructural decay in universities was nothing but a lie, noting that ASUU was fighting for allowances.
Imagwe was speaking in Abuja when he received some youth groups, who were on a visit to his office.
His words: “They initially told us that it was about infrastructure, but it is about allowances. N30b has been released for the payment of their accumulated allowances, and N100b earmarked for infrastructural development. It is important for the public to know that government did not say this is all that it will give, but government says go and start the payment with this amount and let us know the amount it will add”.
Meanwhile, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, will tomorrow join ASUU on strike as the union said it has mobilized its members across the country to embark on industrial action over alleged stoppage of their salaries for two months.
SSANU, in a letter, dated 27 September, 2013, and addressed to its branch chairmen in all the universities in the country, directed its members to stay away from work from tomorrow until the salaries are fully paid.
The President of SSANU, Comrade Samson Ugwoke, said the strike will be total, while the General Secretary, who signed the letter directing members to stay at home from tomorrow, Comrade Promise Adewusi, said no member should go back to work until a counter directive was given.
Adewusi stated that the union took the decision following its letters to the vice-chancellors in universities, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Ministers of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu and Education, Nyesom Wike, as well as the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie.
In the meantime, the suspended strike by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) is to resume on Friday.
The union alleged insincerity and failure of the Federal Government to honour agreement entered with the union.
The union also passed a vote of no confidence on the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), alleging that the board has failed to meet the needs and demands of polytechnic education in the country.
After signing an agreement since 2009 that accumulated to over 400bn, why should you now start with 130bn and asked them to go and start with that first knowing how much is left for you to pay. The GOVT is insincere in all its dealings. Have you been able to address the issues of Polytechnics and FCEs? It is the rot in education that has lead to First lady not knowing how to speak good English. Look at a PhD president, his level of thinking. 25% of our budget goes to the national assembly without retirement of how its been spent. We can never develop in this situation. Strike continues.
ReplyDeleteHmmm this is definitly goin to snowball and transmognify into a trapping of an odoriferous saga cum gagaduangaga! The academic sector of the countrry has been. Enveloped by wat I call a political crincumcrancum or an academic higihaga wit its anteneris aqu from the. Federal government and if we do not mianda this nigerian educational vessel to a safe abode, the ship of the nigerian educational sector is heading for a disastrous and pestilential aqua whilst also gliding on an academic talidomite!
ReplyDeleteYes the matter must get worst because the major key player; active mediator; Prof Rukayat is no more there, and the one there (WIKE) is clueless, lacks ideas besides, he has no time for ASUU but to be weighing a senseless war on an innocent, armless Lord chosen Amechi.
ReplyDeleteNon performance ministers were removed yet Wike and Annison madueke are still there, God it on to you.
We don't want to know if it is political or not,,, federal government led by GEJ should settle ASUU,, And stop crying faul....
ReplyDeleteShall we regard this as a total educational failure in our nation?
ReplyDeleteYES ASUU is only fighting for allowances. I am sure if they release the 93b for allowance today the strike would have been called off. let govt reverse it by giving 93b for allowances and the remaining 37b for infrastructure, I know within two days ASUU will call emergency meeting and will call off the strike! Do we really care about infrastructure or student welfare?
ReplyDelete2009?. How many govt have come and gone?. So the problem is not this govt of president GEJ. If the previous govts have tried like the present, the debt would have been cleared. Let appreciate this govt for the bold move of settling this debt.It should be encourage to do more unless the strike has turned political!
ReplyDeletewe are on total support to educational collaps in nigeria, GoodLuck carry go, were in support of u.
ReplyDelete