The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, yesterday came to the conclusion that the government was not ready to end the 8-week-old strike, after both parties failed to reach an agreement in ten meetings, lamenting that government displayed dishonesty and lack of integrity during negotiations.
ASUU’s President, Dr. Isa Faggae, who spoke at a briefing in Lagos claimed that government had declared it would not implement the agreed injection of funds to revitalise the public universities, but was only making a dubious statement of supporting some universities with N100 billion.
“Government had also declared that it will not pay university academics their earned allowances which accumulated from 2009 to 2013. Rather, it is talking about providing N30 billion to assist various Governing Councils of Federal Universities to defray the arrears of N92 billion owed to all categories of staff in the university system.”
Speaking on how the last meeting with the Government held on Monday went, Faggae said ASUU was “shocked by the level of deceit, dishonesty, and lack of integrity displayed by the Government. Never in the history of ASUU-Government relations have we, as a union, ever experienced the kind of volte-face exhibited by Government. At one stage in the interaction, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation ridiculed the agreement, the MoU and the Needs Assessment Report, mocking the Minister of Education to “go and give them N400 billion,” at which members of the government scornfully laughed.”
He argued that the Governor Gabriel Suswam-led Implementation Committee was being used as smokescreen to “deceive ASUU, Nigerian students and their parents, as well as other unsuspecting members of the public on the purportedly released N100 billion for the implementation of the Needs Assessment Report.
First, he said, “government plans to divert the regular yearly allocations to universities by Tertiary Education Trust, TETFund, to make at least 70% of the N100 billion. This is unacceptable to ASUU. It is like robbing Peter to pay Paul, since the idea of revitalization took full cognizance of the intervention role TETFund ab-initio.
“Again, contrary to subsisting operational procedures, about 75% of the money meant for revitalizing universities would not be released to them as the Suswam Committee plans to hand over construction of the hostel projects to the Federal Ministry of Education and/or the National Universities Commission, for implementation. This is illegal; neither the ministry nor NUC is backed by laws of Nigerian Public Universities to divert monies meant for the development of these institutions into centrally executed projects.”
Faggae also questioned the committee’s motives for proposing to commit N1.6 million to a bed space, instead of N200, 000 to N400, 000, saying, “We see a continuation of outrageous contract regimes in the plan to centrally coordinate the construction of student hostels as done in the case of the 12 newly established Federal Universities with TETFund resources. The NUC has transmuted itself into a “Tenders’ board” which awarded contracts for the construction of 560 bed spaces hostel for each university at a whooping sum of 1.2 bn. This contract sum translates into N2.143 million per bed space.”
Make nigeria government do with fear of god they suppose pity parent and students
God Almigthy Alone knows what is next for everybiody……….we will ALL summorned b4 God Soon………..keep doing anyhow now on earth but surely Heaven is real for we All.
This shows a level of unseriousness in the GEJ administration, shows how uncommitted in the federal govt to the nigerian ppl, the only shit Jonathan is engrossed with is 2015 re election, May God in His infinite mercy save this nation from evil men like him.
This shows a level of unseriousness in the GEJ administration, shows how uncommitted is the federal govt to the nigerian ppl, the only shit Jonathan is engrossed with is 2015 re election, May God in His infinite mercy save this nation from evil men like him.
It is now 4 sure dat dis idoits ar playin politics wit w students. Its now obvious dat is now a political battle.
it’s because their children are not affected and they don’t want to close the bridge between the middle class and the rich.the rich can afford to port to a private university and outta the country,the poor is out already ‘cos education is not cheap …God dey
Can’t believe that all this is happening and we sit at home and say GOD will jugde, Ok till we stay at home for six months and nothing happens then we shall understand that on earth we r gods. Is either we end this strike by demostrating and make the govt know that they r mere mortals or we just sit at home and grow bears. Aluta contiu…
Let’s remember that we live in a free world and majority will always take the lead. Why evil prevail is few gud men stood n did nothing..same apply students sit at home and did nothing let’s unite and tell them enough is enough, let’s forget abt tribe,religion and be one, let’s unite for a reanson and see it to purpose..GOD will jugde all man both asuu,fed and students all man, let’s unite and face d reality or sit at home and see few men decide our future
thney should plz av mercy on the poor parent nd student. We are beggin govt & asuu executives plz help the weak ones dat cannot take there children 2 private universities or send them abroad. Tank you
This whole thing is happening because, we nigerian students are not courageous enough to stand on our feets and ascend to our rightful position.
This is the time that we come together as the future leaders of this great nation to let the government know that power actually belong to the public, and that our interest they must protect. I must state categorically, that i’m disappointed in the way things are going on, in this country right now. May God help us all in jesus name.
I think Nigeria is nw older dan fifty(50), but why our leaders still behaving like a fool at 40? The paramont investment to them shud be our future (Education), but obviously they are carelessly handling it, although i don’t rely on dem… personal investment (Artisian) get it and a medical student at d same time.
I come to understand that if GEJ led government win the secomd term they will make the situation worse…. I wonder why we nigerian youth who have power with God to overthrow these corrupt, occulitc leader with our vote, it was obivious that we sold our vote in 2011 for morsel of bread now we re d one bearing d consequence… Let Gej leave Aso Rock comes 2015 or Revolution now?
I come to understand that if GEJ led government win the secomd term they will make the situation worse…. I wonder why we nigerian youth who have power with God to overthrow these corrupt, occulitc leader with our vote, it was obivious that we sold our vote in 2011 for morsel of bread now we re d one bearing d consequence… Let Gej leave Aso Rock comes 2015 or Revolution now?
I don’t know why ASUU cannot meet the government halfway ? Definitely, the education sector is not the only sector that require funds, health and infrastructure among others. I’m very sure asuu does not care about student as well, after the government gave out N130 bn, they should try consider the situation at hand. And to the silly and dumb unilag faculty representative who granted interviews to the sahara reporters saying they are behind asuu to all lenght, when other student from other schools are pleading so that asuu can reconsider their stand, knowing fully well that the govt can not meet the demands and the more the strike, the more we stay at home, the more we become so low, depressed and frustrated and the more the society, this country is full of bad citizens who wants to do anything to make ends meet. Its so pathetic, i guess they want to become asuu hero of the day. The best we can do is to beg both parties especially the asuu side to please consider and student and parent. We should also stop this political talk, any political party couldn’t have done any better. We should know that the students’ stay at home can do so many harm to the society, as we know the brain can’t stop thinking, so many thought will come in and out. There will be a time, the poor won’t have anything to eat but the rich. Let’s try to prevent that. Please help us.
I rep unilag, a 200level student.
Goodluck Jonathan should be stopped from destroying Nigeria further.
A beg make una vote 4 jona come 2015.
Good I like dat long life gudluck u pple dat are open ur dirty mouth abusing dis federal govt, am very sure dat u are d same people dat gv vote 2 gudluck despite d only fact dat he is christian, God almighty is not sleepin see us 2day its come 2 d level of dis stituation and u r nt even ashame of urslf 2 come out in a media abusin wot u elected as a leader due 2 ur selfish interest.. I even wish him 2 won d 2nd election and see who will get suffer most.
You are a real example why ASUU should call off the strike. Please go back to school so u don’t kill us with bad english. Hahahaha
I solicitely beseech FG n asuu 2 tarry d wrangle about dis strike and excogitate d way foward 4 students n parents. Nija is such an admirable xandus n JEG should cast anoda renown by puting an end 2 every issues dat had led n might still lead 2 dis strike wit his jurisdiction power. Please pals let us not condem or babble against GEJ’s admnistratn bcos no one was n will still be perfect. Isa fagge plz understnd dat students r declining in knowledge dis period of strike n calling of d strike n resuming wit proper lectures n practicals can equali be an innovative way 2 bridge literacy n skills gap in nigeria. Let us stop every argy-bargy n embrace solidarity. Dis is d hand writing of a sophomore from ESUT. Long live nigeria!
I just want all dis to end as soon as possible….asuu shud av pity on us and end dis ongoing….i pray it shud end b4 d end of dis month by God’s grace.
I just want all dis to end as soon as possible…fg shud pay the 92billion dey owe instead of giving them 30 billion… n asuu shud consider d students bcos fg has met almost all their demands.
This is highly ridiculous for this to be going on in Nigeria. Why can,t FG once and for all attend to this Assu demand and stop wasting this future leader time I pray for God intervene in Jesus name
asuu has bin deceived for long n nw is full revenge dey ar nt ready for renegations of d former agreement com to think of it dnt u think d fed govt is making things worse by nt bin straight forward setting out a committee to let d masses feel dey working nw dis is it jonathan d president shud come into d scene wt full force to track down did strike of a thing dats my own little contribution