Academic Staff Union of Universities,
ASUU, yesterday, rejected. the N130 billion
the Federal Government disbursed into the
university system, as part of efforts to
persuade striking lecturers to call off the strike
which began on July 2.
In a letter written to Head of National
Economic Empowerment Development Strategy, NEEDs Assessment, and Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswan, by President of ASUU, Dr. Nasir Isa Fagge. The union insisted that based on the 2009 ASUU/FGN agreement and the January 2012 Memoranda of Understanding, MoU, signed by both parties, what was due for 2012 and 2013 was N500 billion, not N100 billion.

The letter read: “We observe that the
Committee is so far mentioning only N100
billion. If the implementation is to be related
to the funding requirements in the 2009
ASUU/FGN agreement and the Jan 2012 MoU,
what is due for 2012 and 2013 is N500 billion
not N100 billion. Only the provision of this
sum will meet the immediate needs of the
universities.

“Our Union is very apprehensive of the manner
in which the sources of the initial N100 billion
to be used for the stimulation of the process
are shrouded in secrecy. We believe that
monies that already belong to the university
system should not be blocked and recycled.
“This will not only be counterproductive but
will brew even deeper crises in the system.
ASUU will not accept this.

“We are also concerned that a clear procedure
or process for assessing the funds by the
universities is yet to be defined. This concern
is even more germane, given the statement of
the Chairman of the Committee (during the last
meeting on Monday, August 19, 2013) that the
committee is taking some documents to the
Due Process Office.

“We hasten to add that while due process must
be followed, it is the sole responsibility of
benefitting universities to respect all the
provisions of the Procurement Act. The
meaning of your Committee going to the Due
Process Office is that it is the one that will be
responsible for awarding contracts.

“We want to make it clear that this will never
be acceptable to our union. We believe that
monies meant to fund projects in universities
should be sent to the universities, just as it is
the practice with TETFund.”
The union condemned allocation of
construction of 2,500 bed space hostel for
N1billion, instead of 3,000 bed space for N1.2
billion.

“We are worried that instead of allocating
N1.2 billion each to construct 3,000 bed space
hostels to the 10 Category 1 universities, N1.0
billion for 2,500 bed space hostel to the 16
Category 2 universities, N500 million to
construct 1,250 bed space hostels in the 12
Category 3 universities and N250 million each
to construct 625 bed space hostels in the 13
Category 4 universities, the secretariat has
changed that to constructing 1,400 bed space
hostels in 25 universities at the cost of N2
billion each. We see no rationale in this.

“Expending N50 billion to construct 35,000
bed space hostels across 25 universities will be
ridiculously scandalous since the same amount
can be used to construct 125,000 bed space
hostels across 51 universities. The standard
cost of building a bed space ranges from
N200,000.00 to a maximum of N400,000.00.

“This is even more worrisome, given the
tangential suggestions made by the chairman
that only monies for refurbishment will be sent
to universities, while the rest will be handled
centrally,” the union said.

The union also condemned the exclusion of 22
universities from the allocation for
refurbishment of laboratories and libraries and
three universities from the allocation for
refurbishment of lecture theatres and lecture
rooms.

According to ASUU, 24 universities are denied
allocation for construction of libraries and
laboratories, while two are denied allocation
for construction of new lecture theatres and
lecture rooms. 26 universities are denied
allocation for construction of hostel.

Source: www.vanguardngr.com/2013/08/ASUU-rejects-fg-offers-says-strike-must-continue/

Later someone will say ASUU is not fighting in the best interest of students.

meanwhile, FTC things

ASUU wan award d contracts denselves..........hehehehe