PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has
approved a sum of N400 billion to be
expended on infrastructural development of Nigerian universities in
order to transform them to international
standard within the next four years.

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
National Association of Academic
Technologists (NAAT), the Non-Academic
Staff Union of Educational and
Associated Institutions (NASU) and the
Academic Staff Union of Universities
(ASUU).

President of SSANU, Comrade Samson
Ugwoke, stated this while addressing his
union members at the SSANU National
Executive Committee (NEC) meeting
held at the University of Abuja at the
weekend.

Comrade Ugwoke was briefing the
SSANU members on what the NEEDS
Assessment Implementation Committee,
led by the Benue State Governor,
Gabriel Suswan is doing.

The N400 billion, according to him is
different from the N100 billion which
Governor Suswan- led committee had
raised from donor agencies and big
companies to tackle the problems of
Nigerian universities in the year 2013.

The SSANU President said: “Let me give
you a tip on what the NEED 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, and to transform them to international standard.

“N100 billion has been raised by the
Suswan Committee, he has done that
already. 61 universities had been
penciled down as contained in the
NEEDS Assessment Committee. These
61 universities will share the N100 billion in various categories which include refurbishing and renovation of lecture theaters and lecture halls, refurbishing and renovation of laboratory/library and the renovation of hostels.

“The second category is building of new
hostels of international standard, self-
contained room, 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.”

Comrade 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 (today), and by
Monday, the document will be out. This
time around, it is not only by giving
universities 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 develop them to an internationally recognized university standard.”

He, however regretted that the initial
setting up of the first committee that
came up with the report was subjective,
wondering how a committee on NEEDS
in the universities would be set up to
work without the inclusion of the three
non- teaching staff unions, SSANU, NAAT
and NASU, but only flocks with ASUU
members and their associates.

The SSANU president stated that this led the committee to write a report only
from ASUU’s perspective, but for the
quick intervention of the other three
unions who wrote a counter report which was accepted by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who
apologized to the other unions.

However, he assured the non-teaching
staff in the universities and SSANU
members that none of them will be
retrenched based on the previous
NEEDS Assessment report.

The SSANU president said: “I know that
our members will be saying that what
does the committee say about our
members. I can assure you that our
members will never be relegated, they
will never be sacked or retrenched,
there is nothing like that in the terms of
reference of the Presidential Committee
on the Implementation of NEEDS
Assessment.

“We have three Presidents against one
in that committee and we are doing our
networking. Unless they want to close
the universities, they dare not try to
retrench or touch our members, because when we go on strike, it will be mother of all strikes, they know that.
Not even vice-chancellors will cross the
gate of the universities.”

He also frowned on the Senate approval
of girl-child marriage, describing it as an
embarrassment to the nation, saying
that what Senate should concern itself
with is girl-child education, compulsory
girl-child education and not compulsory
girl-child marriage.

Comrade Ugwoke also condemned the
abrogation of the National Minimum
Wage law and the failure of the Senate
to approve local government autonomy
because of their personal selfish
interest.

SSANU, according to him called on the
Senate to reverse its amendment on girl
child marriage, local government
autonomy and the issue of national
minimum wage.

Source: www.tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/news/item/19462-jonathan-approves-n400bn-for-varsities.html

96billon shared 2d university wat of d remaining? Soo much money hop dey utilize it wella..Naija my lovely country

Is transforming Nigerian universities to meeting national standards one of ASUU's demand_!

Well, I hope the whole "transformation thingy" works...

good to hear.... hope dey'll call off soon Sha

I think Jonathan got this one right as it is a step in the right direction.I just pray the money will be spent judiciously.Thats my concern.

I jst h0pe dat 2day's meetin z g0na bear a gud ripe fruit..

they could not afford #92billion where did they get #400billion from??