Abuja, Nigeria – The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) don sharply reject federal government claim say dem don release N50 billion for Academic Earned Allowance (AEA) wey supposed settle outstanding debts for members. Dis statement come as ASUU say dem never receive any official word from government about di reported release of di funds.
Sources wey no wan show dem name talk to THISDAY for University of Abuja campus say di union dey demand more better funding for di university system, not just di alleged N50 billion. According to dem, di real demand be for proper implementation of di 2009 agreement wey require N220 billion every year as revitalization fund to improve educational facilities.
One ASUU official wey prefer remain anonymous talk say, “Dis N50 billion wey dem dey talk about no fit solve di issues. E no even part of wetin we dey ask for. We want government to release di annual N220 billion as revitalization fund and di N150 billion as earned allowances for our members.”
Di official also add say if dem confirm say di N50 billion don really enter ASUU account, dem go reject am outright. “Di feedback wey we dey get from our National Executive Council (NEC) show say members no happy with di way government dey announce dis matter through media without talking to us,” im talk.
ASUU dey look di situation with serious concern and dey plan to make official statement soon. Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, di national president, dey worried about di news wey dey circulate. “Dis money no fit cover di needs wey we don raise. We need di proper funding and we dey hope say government go fulfill dem,” he conclude.
A source also accursed di Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, of playing politics with di implementation of di 2009 agreement. E emphasize say, “ASUU no fit accept N50 billion when we don request for more funds. We need to support di education sector effectively through di right funding.”
Dr. Alausa, for im side, don announce di release of di N50 billion to support academic and non-academic staff as di fulfillment of President Bola Tinubu’s promise. He talk say dis release na way to show government commitment to improve Nigeria’s education system, but ASUU no dey agree with di claim.
“We recognize government efforts, but di amounts dey grossly inadequate and dey no address di core issues wey affect us,” di ASUU source reiterate. E go mean say dem still get important discussions wey need to happen between dem and di federal government for better understanding.
