President Goodluck Jonathan has demonstrated enough commitment to ending the ongoing industrial action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) by providing N30bn to support university councils in settling the ‘earned allowances of workers, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, has said.
Speaking at a meeting with Pro-Chancellors and Vice Chancellors of government universities, Anyim stated that the amount would be disbursed to the various university councils, who will then pay to deserving staff after conducting their private verification exercises. This, he reckoned, is an indication of government’s commitment to implementing the 2009 agreement with ASUU.
“This is clear demonstration of commitment to revitalise the university system. Government hereby urges every staff of the nation’s universities to return to work as all issues are being resolved,” he said.
“With particular reference to the contentious issue of ‘Earned Allowance,’ every staff of the universities that is so entitled should verify his claim with his university council and accordingly get paid. President Goodluck Jonathan is fully committed to bringing the students back to school and appreciates the patience of parents and students.”
Anyim conveyed the appreciation of the government to such bodies as the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in seeking an end to the strike.
Also speaking, Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’I assured on government’s readiness to implement all recommendations of the 2009 agreement.
“The issue of funding and revitalisation, the Needs Assessment Committee would address infrastructure decay in universities,” she said. “I want to assure you that this will be done in the next few years.”
In separate remarks, Chairman, Committee of Pro-Chancellors of Federal Universities, Prof. Kimse Okoro and Chairman of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors, prof. Mohammed Hamise commended the federal government for promising to release the N30bn to university councils.
