ASUU: Union May End Strike As FG Approves N35.4bn

The Federal Government, on Monday, announced that the sum of N35.4 billion has been released to offset part of the money owed the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

This development means that the teachers’ prolonged industrial action might be terminated in no distant time.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, who made this known after the meeting with the union in Abuja said, “On the issue of salaries in tertiary institutions, especially in universities, the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant- General provided evidence that as at December 31, 2018 the Federal Government had remitted N15.4 billon.

“Also on the issue of Earned Allowances in the universities system, they also showed us evidence that Mr President has approved the N20 billion to be used to offset the outstanding arrears of the 2009 and 2012, audit verified earnings, in the university system.

“This money is being worked on, and will be released to ASUU as soon as the process is completed.

“ASUU has fulfilled its own side of the bargain in terms of NUPECO, which is the Pension Fund Administration company that ASUU has floated to take care of pension for people in the university system.

“The Pension regulator, the PENCOM, has asked certain positions to be fulfilled and they gave ASUU a temporary license, which has expired.

“ASUU has submitted all the documents and fulfilled all conditions needed to get their license,” he said.

On the issue of permanent license, Ngige said the Ministry of Education has been mandated to get in touch with PENCOM to ensure it is issued.

On the issue of university revitalization, he said the President Goodluck Administration entered into an agreement with the ASUU for revitalisation of 220 universities annually for the next 6 years.

“This is starting from 2009, this Government will look for resources for the funding.

“We have also offered ASUU some token to show good faith and that amount is known to them. Issue of visitation panel is also taken care of.

“These were major issues discussed and ASUU is supposed to take back the resolution of these meetings to their members, while we expect that they will get back to us by Thursday,” he said.