The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has again debunked claims by the Federal government that the sum of N100billion had been disbursed to public universities to improve infrastructure.
According to ASUU, none of the 59 government-owned varsities had received the said sum as reported in some publications.
Chairman of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi branch of
ASUU, Dr. Celestine Aguoru, stated this yesterday after leading members
of the branch on a peaceful march.
The members numbering about 200 converged on the Kenville Parks and
Gardens, High Level in Makurdi, the Benue State capital as early as
8.am, chanting solidarity songs.
However, few minutes after they kicked off the march, armed policemen
and men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)
arrived the scene, blocking them with their vehicles.
The striking lecturers insisted that the action will continue until
their demands are met, recalling that they gave government enough time
to implement the 2009 agreement.
Aguoru in his address said “As we are talking today, government has
not released one kobo out of the N100 billion they claimed they have
given the universities; this goes to show the level of insincerity on
their part.
“The N100 billion they are talking about is just by word of mouth.
All that ASUU is asking is for government to implement the 2009
agreement and stop playing politics with the education of our students.”
“The truth is that government is paying lip service to the
development of education in this country and has therefore resorted to
playing politics with the education sector and the future of our
children.
He said it is unfortunate that majority of the nation’s present
leaders attended schools on scholarships, but have refused to extend
such benefit to today’s youth.
“Today we are faced with a situation where the amount Nigerians spend
yearly to educate their children in Ghana is far more than the yearly
budgetary allocation to the education sector”, he continued.
“Our leaders are not being fair to our country. Government should as a
matter of priority implement its agreements with ASUU. Nigerians are
tired of this deceit; they should remember that if they continue to
negate their responsibilities to the people, one day they will certainly
give account to God,” the leader added.
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