ASUU Demands: FG Approves N25bn


The Minister of Education , Adamu Adamu , has said the Federal Government has approved an additional N25 bn for public universities to meet the demands set by the Academic Staff Union of Universities .
The minister said the beneficiary institutions would be paid directly , adding that some universities since 2013 had not been able to access the third tranche of the N200 bn released by the Central Bank of Nigeria .
Adamu , who stated these in his valedictory press conference, added that the proliferation of illegal tertiary institutions in the country was “ an embarrassment to the government ” as 134 illegal universities and polytechnics had been shut , with their owners facing trial .
The minister appealed to ASUU to shun further strikes and allow for peaceful negotiations .
After ending a three - month strike, the union and the Federal Government signed a Memorandum of Action in February 2019 , and a government team was also set up to renegotiate the 2009 agreements .
Adamu said , “Funding has been one of the major challenges facing tertiary education in this country . At the inception of this administration , we inherited an agreement between the Federal Government and ASUU whose total value was put at N 1. 3tn , which payment was to be spread over six years .
“Between 2014 and 2017, the nation witnessed an economic downturn and consequently there were no releases out of the N 1.3 tn . However , last year the Federal Government released N 20 bn directly to universities and all of them have got their share . The Federal Government has just approved an additional N25 bn to be shared to beneficiary institutions directly.
“The proliferation of illegal universities in Nigeria has become a source of embarrassment to the country . Such institutions also default in tax . The National Universities Commission , National Board for Technical Education and the National Commission for Colleges have been working to rid the education system of unauthorised tertiary institutions .
“As I speak, over 134 illegal tertiary institutions have been closed down and their operators are currently undergoing prosecution .”

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