ASUU Srike: No End In Sight As University Lecturers Reject Offer Of ‘Deceitful’ FG

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The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, yesterday, rejected the N130 billion disbursed into the university system by the Federal Government, as part of efforts to end the strike which began on July 2.

In a letter written to Head of National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy, NEEDs Assessment, and Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswan, by President of ASUU, Dr. Nasir Isa Fagge, the union insisted that based on the 2009 ASUU/FGN agreement and the January 2012 Memoranda of Understanding, MoU, signed by both parties, what was due for 2012 and 2013 was N500 billion, not N100 billion.

“We observe that the Committee is so far mentioning only N100 billion. If the implementation is to be related to the funding requirements in the 2009 ASUU/FGN agreement and the Jan 2012 MoU, what is due for 2012 and 2013 is N500 billion not N100 billion. Only the provision of this sum will meet the immediate needs of the universities.

“Our Union is very apprehensive of the manner in which the sources of the initial N100 billion to be used for the stimulation of the process are shrouded in secrecy. We believe that monies that already belong to the university system should not be blocked and recycled.

“This will not only be counterproductive but will brew even deeper crises in the system. ASUU will not accept this.

“We are also concerned that a clear procedure or process for assessing the funds by the universities is yet to be defined. This concern is even more germane, given the statement of the Chairman of the Committee (during the last meeting on Monday, August 19, 2013) that the committee is taking some documents to the Due Process Office.

“We hasten to add that while due process must be followed, it is the sole responsibility of benefitting universities to respect all the provisions of the Procurement Act. The meaning of your Committee going to the Due Process Office is that it is the one that will be responsible for awarding contracts.

“We want to make it clear that this will never be acceptable to our union. We believe that monies meant to fund projects in universities should be sent to the universities, just as it is the practice with TETFund,” the letter read in part.

The union also condemned allocation of construction of 2,500 bed space hostel for N1billion, instead of 3,000 bed space for N1.2 billion.

“We are worried that instead of allocating N1.2 billion each to construct 3,000 bed space hostels to the 10 Category 1 universities, N1 billion for 2,500 bed space hostel to the 16 Category 2 universities, N500 million to construct 1,250 bed space hostels in the 12 Category 3 universities and N250 million each to construct 625 bed space hostels in the 13 Category 4 universities, the secretariat has changed that to constructing 1,400 bed space hostels in 25 universities at the cost of N2 billion each. We see no rationale in this.

“Expending N50 billion to construct 35,000 bed space hostels across 25 universities will be ridiculously scandalous since the same amount can be used to construct 125,000 bed space hostels across 51 universities. The standard cost of building a bed space ranges from N200,000.00 to a maximum of N400,000.00.

“This is even more worrisome, given the tangential suggestions made by the chairman that only monies for refurbishment will be sent to universities, while the rest will be handled centrally,” the union said.

The union also condemned the exclusion of 22 universities from the allocation for refurbishment of laboratories and libraries and three universities from the allocation for refurbishment of lecture theatres and lecture rooms.

According to ASUU, 24 universities are denied allocation for construction of libraries and laboratories, while two are denied allocation for construction of new lecture theatres and lecture rooms. 26 universities are denied allocation for construction of hostel.

27 COMMENTS

  1. This is really unfair,if its 4 aw benifit…we sudnt b @ oM.dey wnt b bodad cos dier kids dnt schl here or in private school.nigerian is d mst poorest amng all countries.even african states are beta dan nigeria.datz y u ardly c a white studying in nigeria.did i say hardly(neva).

  2. They should just tell Nigerian students to go and learn a trade or better still,start thinking of which schools to transfer to.the amount they(ASUU) are asking for is scandalous,inconsiderate and unrealistic.

  3. ASUU are thieves. 4 the past 10yrs wat hv dey done in our universities? All they want is more money. If dey like let them stay on strike. We are evn tired of dem sef. If the money comes @ once how wud dey utilize it?? Dey jst want a sitaution wia dey wud share our money. The shud take wat dey hv and start smtin and stop demanding.

  4. @ sulaiman, am a student. Asuu is right and d money is dere. If u hav bn folowin dis case, den u shud knw asuu want 2 get 9ria uni 2 international standad, at least, a state of d act uni. Nw ar u aware fg want 2 procure 2 more presidential jets even amid dis quagmire. @cyntia, 9ja is nt d poorest. It is al abt cutin down profligacies esp. In times lik dis. Am in ful suport of asuu. Fg dont want asuu 2 make 9ja uni 2 b lik dat of overseas wher dey send their wards. Just b4 strik in uniben, we left lab cos reagents werent dere. uniben 4 dat mata.

  5. for those saying ASUU is selfish, its either you’re jambite or you attend a private university because if you happen to be a student of any of our Government universities you ll definitely not utter such brainless statements. Our amidst solving a problem is adding another, imagine an amount what constructing about 135000 bed space is being paid for just about 25000. You need to see the rot in our universities. No laboratories for research and teachin, even is there is lab it not equipped with required reagents, libraries are decayed, filled with old and out classed book. Lecture theaters are no go area. ASUU we need this strike in full. YOUR DEMANDS MUST BE MET.

  6. for those saying ASUU is selfish, its either you’re jambite or you attend a private university because if you happen to be a student of any of our Government universities you ll definitely not utter such brainless statements. Our amidst solving a problem is adding another, imagine an amount what constructing about 135000 bed space is being paid for just about 25000. You need to see the rot in our universities. No laboratories for research and teachin, even is there is lab it not equipped with required reagents, libraries are decayed, filled with old and out classed book. Lecture theaters are no go area. ASUU we need this strike in full. YOUR DEMANDS MUST BE MET…….

  7. Those who blame ASSU are not serious, they dont know what happens in Nigerian Universities. How much is govt allocating for educ in its annual budget. Ghana for intance allocate 25 per cet while Nigeria allocate 8 per cent. Why should’nt there be strike?

  8. Those who blame ASSU are not serious, they dont know what happens in Nigerian Universities. How much is govt allocating for educ in its annual budget. Ghana for intance allocate about 25 per cet while Nigeria allocate 8 per cent. Why should’nt there be strike?

  9. I dont support asuu neither do i support FG,keeping studntz @ om wont solve issues,studntz av been lackin bhnd wen der was no strike.wat wud dey be doing nw.tinkin of aw to kill deir boredom.strike is only making it worse.fg nd asuu dnt care bou da minorites.i doubt if any of dier kids schl hia.all dey want is MoneyMUSTb dropped in full.imagine wat we are stil talking abt educational sector.hmmm,oda countries dnt toy wit dier wit d benefits of dier citizens.

  10. Educational system of this nation have gone down the rain, things no longer at is, politician eating it all, forgetting the fate and future of the youth lies in Education.. It is unfair nd morale killing that Fg can’t meet to the reasonable demand of ASSU since 2009!! But the politicians have four percent (4%) of Nigeria budget yearly all themselves and we know what that sums up to. We in school don’t do quality practicals, at long run student will be blamed for poor academic performance.. Check the likes of ghana that took this same measure years back, south africa even Togo here there system is far better than ours… We need to say NO to FG and embrace our future squarely!!! All they do is pumping money in triviality!!

  11. May GOD bless Dr. Nasir faggae and his cabinet. This surely is an evidence of the push to vision 20:20 in the educational sector. I am a level-400 student of Mathematics and i donate my utmost support to your actions even not for the good of myself, atleast for the good of Nigeria’s future. Asuu, please us more as you did already that you are not fighting for offers from the government but for the rights of the Nigerian Students. YES, OUR COUNTRY HAS BEEN SOLD OUT ALREADY BUT WE MUST FIGHT TO HAVE IT BACK!

  12. I tot its wise 4 d both parties 2 enter into d drawing board and resolve this issue cos its we d masses dt bears d loss..there is no need of violence let both d FG n ASSU apply their knowledge of undastnd nd resolve dis issue once and 4 all 4 d common interest of d masses who are at d recieving end.

  13. IF THIS STRIKE WILL BETA HOW MY DEPT LOOKS BY RESUMPTION THEN I AM IN FULL SUPPORT BUT IF NOT, PLS ASUU CALL OFF D STRIKE COS I AM GETTING FAT AT HOME. AND BESIDES U PPLE ARE INCREASING MY POSSIBLE YR OF GRADUATION