ASUU STRIKE LATEST: FG Releases N30bn for Lecturers' Allowances


• Appeals to union to call off strike
•NANS threatens mass protest 
• Extract workable agreement, Ikimi tells lecturers


Omon-Julius Onabu, Damilola Oyedele and Chineme Okafor
The federal government Tuesday released the sum of N30 billion to the Ministry of Education for onward disbursement to the universities for the payment of earned allowances of the striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

Benue State Governor, Mr. Gabriel Suswan, made this disclosure at a meeting with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), at the state Governor's Lodge in Abuja, where he reiterated his appeal to the striking union to return to the classrooms in the interest of the future leaders of the country.
Suswan, who is also the chairman of the Needs Implementation Committee, said the money for the earned allowances was released yesterday afternoon.

The governor admitted that although there was delay in the commencement of the implementation of the existing agreements, the government had already addressed almost all of the demands of ASUU except on the allowances.

He described as 'unfair' comments allegedly made by ASUU leadership that the government was insincere and that the government disbursement of N100 billion for infrastructure needs of the institutions was done without consultations.

"ASUU participated in all the meetings where it was agreed to raise N100 billion, which has already been distributed to all the universities. In fact, the president of ASUU nominated one Dr. Baffa, who is very resourceful. He did all the work, and presented the criteria for distribution of the money which is based on the population of each university," he explained.

Suswan added that after the draft distribution was drawn up, he asked the union to go through the document for their satisfaction.
"Instead, they wrote me a letter accusing the committee of insincerity. The councils are the ones that would verify what we are owing, go and ask them. ASUU said no, that unless we put N92 billion on the table," he added.

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