FG Must End The ASUU Strike Now, By Femi Falana

       As the President of Nigeria and the Visitor to all the federal universities in Nigeria Dr Goodluck Jonathan should be worried over the prolonged industrial action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities. However, in his  media chat last Sunday the President stunned Nigerians when he did state that “President John Rawlings of Ghana shut tertiary institutions for one year and nothing happened”. Does that mean the public universities may be closed for one year?
While blaming the ASUU for engaging in politics in prosecuting the strike the President  claimed that the Federal Government could not afford the money being demanded by ASUU. As Counsel to the ASUU I do recall that Dr, Jonathan as Vice President contributed to the resolution of the strike embarked upon by the ASUU in 2009 which culminated in the signing of the  2009  FG/ASUU Agreement. At that time the ASUU was not accused of playing politics! Regrettably, the Federal Government has, for some inexplicable reasons, refused to implement the terms of the Agreement with reference to the improvement of the working conditions of academic staff and the provision of intervention fund to revamp university education in all the federal universities.
Since asuu has repeatedly embarked on strike for over two decades to draw public attention to the refusal of successive governments to fund university education in the country the the university teachers cannot be accused of plotting with disgruntled politicians to embarrass the Federal Government.  In fact, it is the Federal Government which has recently politicised  university education by establishing 12 new universities in one fell swoop. Up till now there is no law in place to back the establishment of any of those institutions.
As there is no fund to run the new universities the President Jonathan recently coordinated the extortion of over N5 billion from government contractors for the take off of the federal university at Otuoke, the President,s hometown.. The President’s mother was also reported to have donated a hostel to the Otuoke undergraduates. It is hoped that such gestures would soon be extended to  the remaining 11 universities by the President. Otherwise he stands the charge of being accused of discrimination!
Having regard to the increasing wave of official corruption in the country the official claim that the federal government is not in a position  to fund the federal universities cannot be taken seriously by Nigerians. In fact, it is public knowledge that the federal government funded corruption in the fuel importation sector to the tune of over I trillion in 2011. The huge fund did not include the $7 billion worth of crude stolen yearly by oil thieves operating on the high seas. Yet, President Jonathan has continued to insist that the allegation of official corruption in Nigeria is over exaggerated!
In the last three years the Jonathan Administration has drawn down the savings of more than $20 billion to less than $4 billion while it is piling up huge foreign loans. Through the AMCON the  sum of N5 trillion ($30 billion) was released by the CBN to bail out the banks that were run down by the agbero bourgeoisie. Two weeks ago the Central Bank of Nigeria disclosed that $7 billion loan had been made available to the same set of banks.
Apart from engaging in the illegal business of changing dollars in the Federation Account to naira the CBN could not have earned $7bn from any other business. The CBN  has also set aside intervention funds for agriculture, aviation, industry, etc running into several trillions  of naira at the disposal of the pampered members of the ruling class.
From time to time, the CBN governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi donates billions of naira to institutions and victims of terrorist attacks. The sum of N10 billion was donated to the Othmanfodio University on August 19, 2013 by the CBN Governor. Since there is equality before the law the CBN should donated N10 billion to each of the other federal universities within the next SEVEN DAYs or face a legal action.
in view of the foregoing it is submitted that given the political will the federal government cannot complain of inadequate funds for revamping the universities. The Minister of Finance and the coordinator of the country’s economy, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has made President Jonathan to believe that the economy would collapse if the federal government implements the 2009 FG/ASUU Agreement.
Did Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and Mr. Sanusi not say that the economy would collapse if the illegal price of N141 per litre of petrol was not sustained? When the Nigerian people forced the federal government to reduce the price to N97 did both voodoo economists resign like their counterparts would have done in the Brettonwood institutions?
Since those who are destroying the Nigerian economy have not deemed it honourable to call it quits President Jonathan should pluck up the courage to sack them without any further delay.  The impression should not be created that the Asuu strike has been allowed to drag on because top government officials have their children and wards in private schools at home and abroad.
The plan to invite former President  Olusegun Obasanjo to intervene in the crisis should be discarded. There was a time the universities were shut down for 6 months under President Obasanjo. Instead of providing funds to run the universities President Obasanjo and his Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar illegally awarded licences to themselves to  establish “private” universities and proceeded to fund them with public money looted from the Petroleum Trust Development Fund.
The federal government should urgently reorder its priority and provide adequate funds to restore the lost glory of our universities  to enable asuu to call off the strike.
Mr. Falana, a member of the senior Bar, is a legal adviser to ASUU

ASUU Strike 'Celebrates' 100 Days: Parents, Students, Stakeholders Complain

The strike action embarked upon by the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has entered its 100th day.

Millions of students, including those undertaking postgraduate programmes have been idling away at home for one hundred days.

The failure of the Federal Government to fulfil resolutions reached with ASUU in 2009 and non-payment of accumulated earned allowances owed the university lecturers are yet to be addressed.

The face-off took a turn for the worse with members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) threatening to join the strike by shutting down primary and secondary schools in the country in solidarity with ASUU.

However, President Goodluck Jonathan, during a recent media chat, said that the lingering strike has political undertone.

Thousands of concerned parents bemoaned the length of the strike and the negative effect it has had on students.

Among the affected students, LEADERSHIP discovered that there was a general air of gloom and anger directed towards the Federal Government and ASUU. The students express their disappointment that their suffering was not considered at all.

“This has been 100 days of absolute shame. It is perhaps the highest mark of irresponsibility that the said leaders of tomorrow would be allowed to waste away like this while our counterparts in other countries and private universities leave us in the dust,” a fresh graduate awaiting NYSC mobilisation said.

The ongoing strike affected business owners as well. LEADERSHIP caught up with some traders in Gwagwalada, Abuja, and it’s a collective tale of woe and worry. Their losses have consistently piled up since the strike commenced three months ago and many of them have been forced to find alternative means of making ends meet. 

ASUU: FG Faults VCs over N35b Un-accessed Funds

As the nation’s tertiary education remains grounded, the Federal Government has blamed the university management for not accessing over N35 billion due to them from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

Speaking at a meeting with pro-chancellors/vice chancellors of federal and state universities on October 8, 2013, Tuesday, in Abuja, the supervising minister of education, Barr. Nyesom Wike, said as at June ending, about N73.87 billion which should be disbursed to universities is still lying idle due to one reason or the other.

Wike disclosed that, out of the said amount, N35b representing 47 per cent is due to varsities. Funds un-accessed by polytechnics are estimated at N16b (21 per cent) while colleges of education has N12b (16 per cent) yet to be accessed.

The minister wondered why the institutions would cry that they lack adequate funding while there are released funds by TETFund running into billions of naira still waiting to be accessed.

Meanwhile, the Committee of Vice-chancellors have blamed the federal government for the inability to utilise the interventions, arguing that there are various difficult conditions attached to the disbursements which prevented them from accessing the funds.

Wike disclosed that about 21 were yet to utilise their interventions. These include the universities of Benin, N1.6b; Ibadan, N2.7b; Ahmadu Bello University, N2.2b; Maiduguri N1.1 billion, UNN N2.8b, Tafawa Balewa N2b, Bayero University Kano N2.3b, Federal University of Technology Owerri N1.6b, Jos N3b, Port Harcourt N3b, Obafemi Awolowo N2b, Niger Delta University N2.2b.

Others include: Usman dan Fodio University N2.8b, Anambra State University N4.1b, University of Markurdi N2.3b, Federal University of Technology Yola N2.8b, Kebbi State University N2.8b, University of Lagos N4.3b, University of Calabar N4.3b and Nigeria Defence Academy N472m.

The minister said the institutions who defaulted in accessing their funds must give satisfactory answers or necessary sanctions await them.

Earlier, the board chairman of TETFund, Dr. Musa Babayo, explained that funds can only be released to the varsities when they meet all the conditions. 
READ MORE: http://news.naij.com/49252.html

Message from ASUU President "Dr, Nasir Isa Fagge"

Dear Comrades, As the struggle to save Nigerian University system is being pursued, I'll like to salute all our members for their resoluteness in ensuring that the 2009 ASUU/Government Agreement is implemented in accordance with the Roadmap defined by the 2012 MoU. We believe very strongly that the rot and decay in the University System is not only arrestable but also reversible. We believe even more strongly that, the key to turning round the University System lies in the sincere implementation of the Agreement.

What government has so far been doing is no more than a repeat performance of a one-act-play: all the deceptions, propaganda, lies, mischiefs and such other Shenanigans were tried by previous Governments, including Military Juntas, but our resolve to save the University System and our Country remained unwaivered. We will continue to carry the banner of this struggle to its logical conclusion. I urge all our members to maintain the spirit of camaraderie and remain firmly resolute in ensuring that our patriotic struggle succeeds. United we Bargain, Divided we Beg!

FG’s N100bn Will Be Shared Among 61 Varsities - SSANU "FG vs SSNANU"

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has said the N100 billion to be released by the federal government following the report of the Needs Assessment Committee will be shared among 61 universities in the country.
National President of SSANU Comrade Samson Ugwoke revealed this while addressing union members at its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at the University of Abuja at the weekend.
The union leader, who briefed members on activities of the Governor Gabriel Suswam-led Needs Assessment Implementation Committee also said in pursuance of its resolve to transform Nigerian universities to international standard within the next four years, the federal government had  approved a sum of N400 billion to be expended in infrastructural development of Nigeria universities and provision of basic needs.
He said the document to this effect was expected to be made available today at the meeting of the Presidential Committee on Implementation of the Needs Assessment in the universities with the leaders of the four university-based unions - SSANU, the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Ugwoke said the N400 billion is different from the N100 billion the Suswam committee has raised from donor agencies and big companies to tackle the problems of Nigerian Universities in the year 2013.
He said, “Let me give you a tip on what the NEED Assessment Committee is doing. The President has approved that within the next four years, N400 billion would be expended in infrastructural development of Nigeria Universities, to transform the universities to international standard.
“N100 billion has been raised by Suswam Committee, he has done that already. 61 universities have been pencilled down as contained in the NEEDS Assessment Committee. These 61 universities will share the N100 billion in various categories which include refurbishing and renovation of lecture theatres and lecture halls, refurbishing and renovation of laboratory/library and the renovation of hostels.
“The second category is building of new hostels of international standard, self-contain room, the latest model in the world. That is the standard to be build in every university, and also the state of the earth laboratories as well as classrooms, lecture theatres and the halls.”
The SSANU president pointed out that the money has been shared among the universities. He also said out of the N100 billion, N96 billion has been sent to universities.
He added: “The committee is meeting again on Monday, and by Monday, the document will be out. This time around, it is not only by giving university money, but it will be monitored to ensure that the money is used to transform the universities, to bail universities out of the present situation and developed to an international recognised university standard.”

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION vs FG

COEASU issues 14-day

strike ultimatum The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, (COEASU) which had earlier issued a 21-day notice last Friday, has served a fresh strike notice on the Federal Government. In an August 15 letter to the Minister of Education,Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufai, the union issued a 14 day ultimatum to meet its demands.In the letter signed by its president, Asagha Nkoro, and the General Secretary, Nuhu Ogirima, COEASU expressed worry about the attitude of the government to the crisis which has be deviled the education sector over poor working conditions. It reads In part: “Given the apparent unwillingness of the Federal Government to meaningfully address the issues of grave concern to the survival of the College of education system within 21 days, a senunciated in the letter,the union hereby states that should the Federal Government maintain its lackadaisical posture by the next two weeks, it would be compelled to embark on a nation wide strike action in the colleges of education. “In other words, the entire academic staff of the nation’s colleges of education would, indeed,cease all responsibilities and functions dischargeable under the law and statute if by 29th August, 2013, the Federal Government refuses to take practically meaningful steps towards addressing the union’s demands. ”The union is protesting against infrastructural decay, poor funding, non-implementation of the2010 FG-COEASU Agreement, poor conditions of service, brain drain and illegal imposition of the IPPIS. -THE NATION NEWS

ASUU President vs Students

ASUU boss, Comrade Issa Fagee appealed to Nigerian to understand that their agitations is for the collective good of the country. He said this while being interviewed on a radio programme this morning in Abuja.

“The citizens, please we need to understand that ASUU members are also parents, they are also Students. For this strike action is also hitting us very very strongly at the base. But it is part of the sacrifice that we have to make to turn around the plight of our beautiful country Nigeria”

This means students are to wait till FG gets money …

ASUU Will Wait Till FG Gets Money"FG vs ASUU"

The Academic Staff Union of Universities will sustain its ongoing strike until the Federal Government gets the money to meet its demands, an ex-officio member has said.The immediate past chairman of the union at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Aloysius Okolie, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Nsukka, Enugu State that the government should not allow a total collapse of tertiary education in the country.Okolie said that no country had attained enviable height economically and technologically without adequate funds for the education sector. He said the sector remained the engine room of national development.“The National Assembly and some executive members are paid jumbo salaries but when it comes to education funding the government has no money. “How will the country be able to achieve its vision 20:2020 of being among the 20 leading economies if the education sector is not well-funded,’’ he asked. The former chairman solicited the understanding of the students and their parents, saying the union’s demand was to ensure quality teaching and learning in the universities. “It is unreliable that in some universities student receive lectures under the trees and in stadium.“Books, laboratory equipment in our libraries and laboratories are out-dated while some politicians and government officials are wasting money in building houses in every state capital and buying fleets of exotic cars. “The demands will enable the universities to produce quality graduates employable in any part ofthe world,’’ he said.