DETAILS OF ASUU/FGN AGREEMNT & THE WAY 4WARD: The 2009 agreement was a product of negotiatzns wd successive administrations, beginñ in 1992 wd dat of former military president Gen Ibrahim Babangida. There were also re-negotiatzn in 1999 (under Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar) & 1999/2001 (under former Pre. Olusegun Obasanjo), until d agreement was signed in 2009 (under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua). ASUU President Dr Nasir Fagge said through d agreement, the union seeks to make universities competitive by ensurñ dat conditions of service r favourabl to academic staff so as to reverse brain drain; provide adequate fundñ to universities; and ensure their autonomy & academic freedom. Two outstandñ issues define d ongoing strike: the release of funds accruing up to N500 billion to improve facilities in 61 public universities (27 federal & 34 state); and the non-payment of earned allowances put at N92 billion. In response to ASUU demands, the govt set up a committee headed by Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam to implement d recommendatzns of d committee on Needs Assessment of Public Universities whch submitted its report 2d National Economic Council (NEC) last November.The panel noted dat d classrooms, labs &hostels of the 61 universities had decayed. The govt released N100 billion for this purpose on August 21, almost two months afta d commencement of d strike, to cover construction of classrooms, labs & hostels. It also announced d release of N30 billion 4d earned allowances. However, the union is insistñ on the full amounts stated in the agreement b4 calling off the strike. Suswam has condemned the union‘s stand, especially as the government has released some funds to meet part of the demands. “There is nothñ on the list of their demands that the govt has not touched,” Suswam said when he hosted the National Union of Benue State Students last week. Why ASUU Is Not Impressed: Some lecturers told The Nation that acceptñ wat d govt was offering wud only be postponñ d evil day bcz d amount wud continue to mount. Chairman, ASUU-CRUTECH), Dr Nsing Ogar accused d govt of insincerity. He said the N100 billion the govt is paying now should have been released in April last year – with an additional N400 billion dz year. He said by 2015 the amount released shud be N1.3 trillion. He said: “Last year, there was an agreement bw the govt & ASUU dat N100 billion wud b injected in2 d university system to upgrade facilities. It was supposed to be released immediately. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in January 2012 and by April that sum of money was supposed to have been released. Also in that MoU there was an agreement that in 2013 another N400 billion would be released. Then in 2014 another N400 billion. Then in 2015 another N400 billion. That makes N1.3 trillion to upgrade facilities in the university system. We had tried to talk wd govt to ensure that these amount were released, they did not accept and that is why we are on strike. And if in 2013 they are releasing N100 billion, there is a shortfall of N400 billion, they have not told us, what next would happen in 2014 and 2015.” On his part, Dr. Abdulkadir Mohammed, the branch ASUU chairman, Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil, said members were irked that the N100 billion was recycled from the universities’ funds. He said: “Even the N100 billion that the government is talking about, there is a recommendation of the Technical Committee on how the N100 billion should be disbursed, that hsbñ breached by govt. Secondly, Nigerians shud know the source of the N100 billion bcz it was clearly stated that this money should be sourced outside state fund; that govt should scout for the N1.3 trillion from other sources outside the Tertiary Education Trust Fund but we realised that wat govt is trying to do now is to go and block all the money in the state fund, mop it up and channel it into financing the recommendation of the need assessment and that is also not acceptable. Dr David Nanson Jangkam, Chairman ASUU-UNIJOS Chapter, explained, “let me tell you the level of insincerity of the govt, regarding the so called N100 billion they claimed to have approved for need assessment, they are taking that fund from the TETFund, which means they are robbing the university to pay the university,” he said. Parents Support ASUU’s Struggle: Contrary to expectations, many parents interviewed by The Nation. Mr Fidelis Inde, who resides in Calabar, said he was not happy his children are at home, yet, he supports the strike because he believes the government can indeed meet ASUU’s. If there was an agreement, then that agreement should be honoured. Government, I believe can meet ASUU’s demands if it is sincere.” WHAT IS UR TAKE?
Posted on: Tue, 17 Sep 2013 06:12:58 +0000