FG releases N163bn to Nigerian universities
– Senator Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, discloses that the federal government has released N163 billion to the universities from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund)
– Ngige says most of the the issues with the academic union have been resolved following a meeting held on Monday, January 21
– The minister notes that that the striking lecturers are not asking for N50 billion before they would call off the strike
The the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said it is consulting with its members about ending its ongoing industrial action after the federal government informed the union that it had released N163 billion to the universities from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
Senator Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, said in an address to newsmen after a closed door reconciliatory meeting with leaders of ASUU on Monday, January 21, in Abuja, said most of the issues with the union have been resolved.
“Today we have agreed to fund revitalisation. Government has released about N163 billion from TETFund account to universities,” the minister said.
“So, we have gotten some substantial agreement in most of the areas of the agreement.
“Most of the issues have being resolved, so they are going to go back to their members and present government’s offer to their council.”
Ngige also said that the striking lecturers were not asking for N50 billion before they would call off the strike.
He, however, added that if the total amount of the union’s demand was aggregated it would be more than the N50 billion as the government was paying in different compartments.
“These are debts of 2009, owed by the past administration, that is 2009 to 2012, so it is not our own debt and we have been doing a lot to settle these debts.
“So, we will be reconvening at the instance of ASUU. They said they want to go and consult with their members and they cannot call off the strike without consulting with their members,’’ he said.