After a lot of heated debates and consultations, the Suswam-led committee submitted its report to government, which culminated into a letter to disburse N100bn for the implementation of identified needs of the public universities and another N30bn to off-set the EAA of teaching and non-teaching staff.
Despite this acclaimed commitment by government, ASUU still stood its ground, vowing to continue with the strike over issues bordering on government’s insincerity and the fact that the acclaimed disbursed funds are yet to translate into cash for earmarked varsities.
A critical examination of the distribution document made available to Vanguard Learning reveals some controversies in the disbursement of funds to federal and state varsities. While ASUU is contending that the N100bn is nothing near the N500bn due for 2012 and 2013, as contained in the 2009 ASUU/FGN agreement and the January 2012 MoU signed by both parties, some other discrepancies discovered include that government’s claim to distribute the released funds to varsities based on student population was not religiously followed.
Partitioned under four categories with student population of 30,000 and above; 29,000 and 25,000; 24,000 and 15,000; 14,000 and below, it was found that some varsities with lower student populace got more funds than their counterparts with higher populace.
For instance, Ebonyi State University, with student population of 23,437 got N3.050bn while Lagos State University with the highest student population of 90,885 got N1.300bn, University of Abuja, with 62,528 students got N3bn; National Open University of Nigeria N850m with 57,759 students and University of Calabar N1.250bn with 29, 357 students. Also, our findings revealed that of the 40 federal varsities, 13 were left out.
They include: Federal University, Gashua; Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa; Federal University, Dutsin-ma, Katsina; Federal University, Kashere, Gombe; Federal University, Lafia, Nassarawa; Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi; Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi; Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa; Federal University, Wukari, Taraba; Federal University, Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi; Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara; Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Ekiti and Police Academy, Wudil, Kano State.
While of the 39 state varsities, Bukar Abba Ibrahim University, Damaturu, Yobe; Northwest University, Kano; Sokoto State University, Sokoto; Tai Solarin University of Education; Ijebu-Ode, Ogun and Technical University, Ibadan, Oyo State, were left out.
With about 18 public universities left out of this distributed funds, what is the guarantee that their local ASUU chapters won’t shut-down their schools within the shortest period to fight for their share?
Personally, i think the local chapter of ASUU in my school (TASUED) should just resume back to work since we aren't receiving a dime.
Source: Vanguard Learning
My school, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education Port Harcourt did not receive a dime, the strike has been called off internally. I am more than happy because Asuu cannot make me gradute at 22, 21 it will remain. At least 300level students and below have written their exams and returning home joyfully. They just want the money for personal gratification.
ReplyDeleteLol..so many of us are targeting a certain age for graduation...the lecturers in ur sch are wise dear....i just wish those in my own sch follow their footsteps.
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