The Academic Staff Union of
Universities, ASUU, has alleged that none of the universities had received any
money from the N100bn the Federal government claimed to have disbursed to 59
public universities to improve infrastructure.
Speaking yesterday, after
leading members of the branch on a peaceful march around Makurdi town in
protest of the lingering Federal Government/ASUU impasse, Chairman of the
Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi branch of ASUU, Dr. Celestine Aguoru,
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 of the government.
“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.
“It is rather unfortunate
that majority of those who are leading us today went to school in their time on
scholarships, but today they do not want our children to benefit from that same
gesture, all because of greed.
“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.
“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.”
Meanwhile, former Head of
State, General Yakubu Gowon has appealed to both parties to strike a compromise
for the sake of our children and the country.
Speaking in Lagos, at the
launch of the first edition of the Shell Nigeria Scholars Forum, for the
beneficiaries of its scholarship, General Gowon argued that one of the parties
must be prepared to yield ground in order to save the education sector.
He said: “I do believe it is
time for all lovers of education to come together and get both the federal
government and ASUU to return to the negotiation table and resolve all
outstanding grievances. Both sides must be willing to yield ground for the sake
of our children and that of our dear country Nigeria.”
In an elaborate ceremony
chaired by Gowon, the Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, and Managing
Director, SPDC, Mr Mutiu Sunmonu, said the forum “would serve as a meeting
place for all beneficiaries of Shell post secondary scholarship schemes.
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