The end to the present strike by the Academic Staff
Union of Universities (ASUU) may be in sight as
President Goodluck Jonathan has approved N400
billion for the infrastructural development of Nigerian
universities.
The document to this
effect is expected to be
made available today at
the meeting of the
presidential committee on
implementation of the
NEEDS assessment in the
universities with the
leaders of the four
university-based unions –
the Senior Staff
Association of Nigerian
Universities (SSANU), the
Non-Academic Staff Union
of Educational and
Associated Institutions
(NASU), the National Association of Academic
Technologists (NAAT) and the Academic Staff Union
of Universities (ASUU).
The President of SSANU, Samson Ugwoke, made the
revelation while addressing his union members at
the SSANU National Executive Committee (NEC)
meeting held at the weekend at the University of
Abuja.
Ugwoke, briefing the SSANU members on the
activities of the NEEDS assesment implementation
committee, led by Benue State Governor, Gabriel
Suswam. He noted that the fund was different from
the N100 billion Governor Suswam had raised from
donor agencies and big companies to tackle the
problems of Nigerian universities in 2013.
The labour leader said: “Let me give you a tip on
what the NEEDS assessment committee is doing. The
president has approved that within the next four
years; N400 billion would be expended in
infrastructural development of Nigerian universities,
to transform the universities to international
standard.
“N100 billion has already been raised by Suswam
committee out of which 61 universities have been
pencilled down, as contained in the NEEDS
assessment committee. The N100 billion is expected
to address needs of the universities in the areas
which include re-furbishing and renovation of lecture
theatres and lecture halls, re-furbishing and
renovation of laboratories/libraries and the
renovation of hostels.
“The second category is building of new hostels of
international standard, self-contained rooms, the
latest model in the world. That is the standard to be
built in every university, and also the state-of-the-art
laboratories as well as classrooms, lecture theatres
and the halls.”
Ugwoke pointed out that the money had been shared
and out of the N100 billion, N96 billion had been sent
to universities.
He added: “The committee is meeting again on
Monday, and by Monday (today), the document will
be out. This time around, it is not only by giving
university money, but it will be monitored to ensure
that the money is used to transform the universities,
to bail universities out of the present situation and
developed to an international recognized university
standard.”http://www.osundefender.org/?p=116983

should we start hoping?? or shld we wait first nd hear d outcome of d meeting,cos me i want to go nd pack my remaining tins in skul.