ASUU Says Tinubu Failed On Promise To Increase Budgetary Allocation For Education, Threatened Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has stated that President Bola Tinubu failed on his campaign promise to increase the education sector budget to at least 15 per cent.

President of the Association, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, who spoke during an interview with newsmen, stated that the Union was dejected when the 2024 education budget was announced to be N2.18tn or 7.9 per cent of the budget.

Osodeke noted that it was the same figure that was paraded during the past administration of Presidential Muhammadu Buhari government which had brought little or no progress to the sector.

The president however called on Tinubu to meet with the cabinet members and increase the budget to 15 or more, according to his promise during his election campaign and warned that if nothing is done, the sector is going nowhere.

“With this seven per cent education budget, nothing will change in the sector, it is just as we had during Buhari’s time. Tinubu during his campaign promised to increase the education budget but nothing.

“He can still increase it, they should liaise with the executives and come out with a budget that is not less than 15 per cent as he promised during the election,” he said.

Osodeke who also complained about the poor remuneration of lecturers in the country, warned that if nothing is done about the budget and other demands of the union, the lecturers will have no option than to embark on strike.

“However, there is still a chance for him to change. But if there is no improvement on this and our other demands, by next year, we will mobilise our people and we can’t stay like this because Oyo State has 15 per cent and Enugu State budgeted 32 per cent for education, but FG is giving less than eight per cent,” he said.