overnment has also increased to N40billion as
a first installment, funds for payment of
earned allowances to the striking lecturers, an
improvement from the N30 billion previously
released.
This information is contained in an internal
statement at the Federal University of Otuoke
by Professor Bolaji Aluko, its Vice-Chancellor.
On the earned allowances, Prof. Aluko said
"Government will top it up with further
releases once universities are through with
the disbursement of this new figure of N40
million, so Vice-Chancellors are urged to
expedite this disbursement within the shortest
possible time using guiding templates that
have been sent by the CVC."
Professor Aluko said the development
followed meetings on September 19 and Oct
11 of representatives of the Association of
Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, led
by Prof. Hamisu of ATBU and ASUU reps led
by its President, Dr. N. Fagge with the Vice-
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Arc. Namadi. Sambo, Minister of State for
Education, Nyesom Wike and others.
In the interest of peace, Vice-President Sambo
appealed to ASUU to call off the strike and
apologized over the "take-it-or-leave-it"
comments made by the Minister of Finance,
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Other points of agreement at the meetings
include the following:
Project Prioritization: Universities will now be
allowed to determine their priorities and not
be "rail-roaded" into implementing a pre-
determined set of projects with respect to the
NEEDS assessment. Decisions are not to be
centralized.
TETFund Intervention: Government assured
that the operations of the TETFund will not be
impaired, and that the regular TETFund
intervention disbursement to Universities will
continue, unaffected. So the NEEDS
assessment capital outlays are in addition to
regular TETFund intervention.
Project Monitoring: A new Implementation
Monitoring Committee (IMC) for the NEEDS
Assessment intervention for universities has
been set up to take over from the Suswan
Committee. The new one is under the Federal
Ministry of Education and chaired by the
Honorable Minister of Education.
In addition, to build confidence and ensure
faithful implementation and prevent any
relapse as before, the Vice President will meet
quarterly with the IMC to monitor progress.
Blueprint: ASUU was mandated to submit a
blue print for revitalizing the Universities to
the Vice President. ASUU leadership will now
meet to decide if the government should be
trusted again, this time.
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