Hope For Enugu Tertiary Institutions As Gov Mbah Increases ESUT Subvention

Staffers of various state-owned tertiary institutions in Enugu State have expressed hope of a better condition of service following the approval of an additional N115 million monthly subvention to Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT).

The increase upped the state government’s total monthly funding to the institution to N276 million. Some of the workers that spoke with THE WHISTLER praised Gov Peter Mbah for the increase, noting that it would improve the staff welfare as well as quality of graduates of ESUT.

Our correspondent reports that the increment was announced on Monday by the Secretary to the Enugu State Government (SSG), Prof Chidiebere Onyia. It was gathered that the ESUT wing of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, had embarked on strike to pressure the state to increase its subvention to the institution.

Prof Onyia said the development was to address concerns surrounding the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), ESUT chapter. He said the latest increase represents a cumulative rise of N140 million in the government’s monthly subvention to ESUT since February 2026.

In his words, “Governor Mbah has demonstrated once again that his administration places the welfare of workers and the uninterrupted education of our young people at the heart of its priorities. This additional N115 million monthly intervention is a substantial commitment of public resources aimed at strengthening ESUT and ensuring that the institution can meet its obligations to its staff and students.”

He said before February 2026, the state government provided N136 million monthly to ESUT. He said from February, the government introduced an additional N25 million monthly intervention specifically for the ESUT College of Medicine (ESUCOM) to support the payment of 120 additional staff, bringing the total monthly government support to N161 million.

The SSG said the additional funding was to support the university in meeting the salary agreement reached between ASUU and the Federal Government. He therefore appealed to ASUU members at ESUT to suspend their industrial action and return to the classrooms while outstanding issues are resolved through dialogue.

“We appeal to ASUU-ESUT to reciprocate this gesture by resuming academic activities, while all outstanding issues are addressed through constructive dialogue. Our students should not be made to bear the consequences of disagreements that can be resolved amicably.”

Onyia expressed the Mbah administration’s commitment to the welfare of workers and the continued development of ESUT, adding that the substantial increase in funding demonstrated the priority the government attaches to education and the uninterrupted academic calendar.

He called on the university management, ASUU and other stakeholders to embrace dialogue and work together towards resolving the outstanding issues, stressing that the central objective should be to ensure that students receive uninterrupted and quality education.

The SSG further assured the ESUT community that the Mbah administration would continue to support the university within available resources and take necessary measures to strengthen the institution and enable it to fulfil its mandate as a leading university of science and technology.

Some staff members of other state-owned tertiary institutions therefore appealed to Gov Mbah to extend the same gesture to them.

A lecturer with the Institute of Management of Technology, IMT, Enugu, who refused to be mentioned, expressed optimism that the same gesture would be extended to them.

“What is good for the goose is also good for the gander,” he said. “We in IMT have our peculiar issues. We need our earned allowances paid. There are other statutory obligations that we expect from the state. I know with time, the light will be extended to us. We have our union, and they should do the needful. Our governor is a listening one. He is always proactive.”

Also speaking, a lecturer of Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo, who declined being mentioned because he is not authorized, said the swift solution Gov Mbah advanced to ESUT gave him hope.

“ESPOLY has issues, including promotion, pension, arrears of allowances, and infrastructural deficit. When I heard that the subvention of ESUT has been increased, I became convinced that ESPOLY issues would be attended to. This is a governor that came prepared. He is addressing what he inherited. Ours won’t be left out. I know who our governor is,” he said.

Our correspondent reports that aside ESUT and IMT, the state also owns Enugu State College of Education Technical, Enugu, and State University of Medical and Applied Sciences, SUMAS, located at Igbano.