By Daniel Tyokua
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has kicked against the release of N 50 billion Academic Earned Allowance to the union by federal government for the settlement of members of the body’s outstanding indebtedness.
ASUU said it is yet to receive any correspondence from the government relating to the widely reported release of the amount as an earned allowance.
It noted that even if the reported 50 billion were to be true, ASUU’s demand is for proper funding of the university system with the immediate implementation of the 2009 agreement bordering on the release of 220 billion naira annually as revitalization fund, and not for the release of a partly 50 Billion that fall far below expatriation.
A source familiar with happenings in ASUU, who don’t want his name mentioned,revealed that some members of the body have frowned on the claims by the federal government to have released 50 Billion Naira to the union as Earned Allowance.
He disclosed that the leadership of ASUU is already studying the development and would soon make its position public.
He, however, stated that ASUU National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke is deeply concerned over the media reports on the issue, adding that 50 Billion is grossly inadequate and wasn’t part of the demands of the union.
According to the source in Abuja, the union’s position is that the government should, as a matter of urgency, release 220 Billion naira annually as a universities revitalization fund and also provide about 150 billion as Earned Allowance owed to members of the union.
He further revealed that feelers from the members of the National Executive Council (NEC), the union will outrightly reject the 50 Billion Naira said to have been released as earned allowance, if it becomes clear that such money was released to the union.
The source who enjoys the privilege of attending ASUU’s NEC meetings, noted that the union is unhappy with how the government ignored it and broke the news of the release of the money to the media, whereas it’s yet to receive any Correspondence from the Ministry of Education patterning to the release of such money.
He said ASUU believed that the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, was playing politics over the implementation of the 2009 agreement entered into
between ASUU and the federal government.
Our source also faulted the widely reported release of 50 Billion Naira; saying that 50 Billion has never been part of its demands.
“The ideal thing is that the government should release the agreed funds for the Universities revitalization project. What we asked for as earned allowance is about 150 Billion Naira. So, how did they arrive at the 50 Billion that is said to have been released to us?’ Do not make any mistake, we will reject this. We wants need assessment projects in the universities to go on.
The projects, when completed will improve the teaching and learning environment at the campuses and solve the problem of decaying infrastructure “.
