- Says varsities not revenue generating agencies
By Gabriel Dike, Lagos
The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has directed branch chairmen to begin the mobilisation of members in public universities nationwide.
The decision of ASUU was taken at a NEC meeting held at Kaduna State University (KASU), Kaduna State from Saturday 11th to Sunday 12th, November 2023 to press home the implementation of its outstanding demands.
A statement signed by the ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, titled: “Deepening Socio-Economic Crisis and the Nigeria University System”, said NEC discussed several issues affecting the Nigerian University System (NUS) and the country.
Osodeke said NEC noted with serious concern the deepening socio-economic crises in the country occasioned by the implementation of neo-liberal economic policies by the current administration.
“In particular, NEC noted the unbearable rising cost of living and increasing hardship foisted on the Nigerian masses since the unplanned deregulation of the prices of petroleum products and the unbridled devaluation of the Naira.”
According to him, the meeting reviewed the state of the struggle for improved conditions of service, funding for revitalization, university autonomy and academic freedom, removal of federal universities from the imposed Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
He said other issues discussed includes the amendment of the National Universities Commission (NUC) Act to curb the unbridled proliferation of state universities, and other related matters.
Osodeke said NEC observed that successive governments have failed to honour several agreements reached with the union, especially the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ ASUU agreement.
“NEC noted that even the little gains of the 2022 strike which led to budgetary provisions of funding for revitalization and the payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) are yet to be activated due to the non-release of the allocated funds,” the union noted.
He disclosed that ASUU called on the Federal Government to set in motion without further delay the process of concluding therenegotiation exercise in line with the fundamental principles of the Prof NimiBriggs’ committee and release the funds allocated for the payment of EAA.
Osodeke said towards this end, NEC directed all branches of ASUU to immediately commence the conscious mobilization of its members.
He also stated that the union reviewed the implications of the recent directive to federal universities to remit 40 percent of their Internally Generated Funds (IGF) to the coffers of government.
“NEC condemns the directive in its entirety because it would further impoverish and emasculate the Nigeria University System. For the avoidance of doubt, universities are not revenue generating agencies because the obligatory fees paid by students are to provide the necessary tools for them to be properly educated,” Osodeke stated.
The meeting called on the relevant institutions of state to remove universities from this category of government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) regarded as revenue generating centres because of its implications for affordability
and accessibility of education in the country.
ASUU president said NEC noted with concern the deliberate attempt by the Accountant General’s office to further impoverish its members by the refusal to pay their promotion arrears of majority since 2018.
It added: “NEC also reviewed the unsatisfactory reports on payment of the withheld eight months’ salaries by government on account of the patriotic strike of our members in 2022. The union called on the Federal Government to unconditionally release all the withheld salaries as a demonstration of the new administration’s desire to permanently resolve all outstanding issues related to the last strike of our union.
He said: “NEC is worried about the continued victimization and onslaught against our members at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, Kogi State University, Anyigba, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Lagos
State University, Ojo.”