ASUU: FG begs NUT to withdraw strike threat

Federal Government, yesterday, appealed to
Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, to shelve its
proposed solidarity strike with Academic Staff
Union of Universities, ASUU.
The Supervising Minister of Education, Mr.
Nyesom Wike, made the appeal in Abuja, at a
meeting with the members of NUT on the
proposed industrial action.
It will be recalled that the NUT on September
26, 2013, gave Federal Government two weeks
ultimatum to honour the agreement they had
with ASUU or face total shutdown of the
education sector in the country .
The Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu,
who was present at the meeting, said the
Federal Government has already implemented
80 per cent of the 2009 Agreement they had
with ASUU.
According to Wike, “The 2009 agreements with
ASUU have a number of issues and I want to
tell you that the Federal Government, has
already met 80% of the critical needs. It is
remaining only two major components which
are earned allowances, and they are expecting
the Federal Government to release N400billion
annually for infrastructural development.
“ASUU now asked the Federal Government to
develop the universities annually, and it
shouldn’t be part of Federal budget and not
part of Tertiary Education Trust Fund ,
TETFund, and that the Federal Government
should allocate N400 billion for capital
projects in the universities. This is not
realistic, because we have Polytechnics and
colleges of education”.
Most universities haven’t accessed their 2012
intervention funds so there are still funds for
them.
On earned allowances he said: “The N30billion
was for a start and then if it is not enough we
would find a way to pay ASUU.”
-vanguard