The Governing Council of the Federal
University of Technology Owerri (FUTO)
, has appealed to the Academic Staff
Union of Universities (ASUU), to end
their strike. Dr Emmanuel Enemuo, Pro
Chancellor and Chairman of the
council, made the appeal on Saturday
at a news conference in Owerri.
Enemuo noted that the Federal
Government had demonstrated
commitment to addressing the most
contentious issues in the 2009
agreement. He explained that
government had approved the
payment of earned allowances and
revitalisation of universities through
adequate funding with the release of
N130 billion. He said further that
government also promised to pay any
shortfalls after due verification by the
councils of the various universities.
Emeno said that the funds already
released were sourced from different
government agencies such as the
Central bank, the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the
National Communications Commission
(NCC). He stated that the government
had promised to make provision for
further intervention in the 2014
appropriation bill and urged ASUU to
reciprocate the gesture by going back
to classes. The pro-chancellor disclosed
that the governing council of FUTO had
decided to pay earned allowances to its
deserving staff. He said a management
committee had been constituted to
determine the actual earned
allowances to be paid to individual staff
of the university. “The council, in
consideration of the efforts and
commitment of the Federal
Government, hereby appeal to ASUU to
call off the strike and resume work so
that our children can return to school.”
“ASUU should reciprocate the gesture
of the federal government by ending
this strike and return to the classrooms
in the interest of our children and the
university system,” he said.