ASUU rejects N600 Billion offer from FG

Varsity teachers remained adamant
last night, saying their strike would
go on, despite the government's
shifting of its position. The strike
has been on for four months.
More cash has been pledged for
projects on the campuses. Besides, the
earned allowances due to the teachers
have been increased from the initial
N30 billion offer, which the Academic
Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)
rejected. The teachers are insisting on
the 2009 agreement, which they say
President Goodluck Jonathan was part
of. Besides, they say, they do not
trust the government.
According to a circular by the Vice
Chancellor of the Federal University,
Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Prof. Bolaji
Aluko, to the staff of the school,
quoted yesterday by Sahara Reporters,
the government has pledged to spend
N200 billion on the universities in the
2014 budget and the same amount
annually for the next three to four
years.
This is in addition to the N100 billion
already made available this year, but
which ASUU has rejected.
The government has also increased to
N40 billion, as a first installment,
funds for the payment of earned
allowances to the striking lecturers – an
improvement from the N30 billion
previously released.
On the earned allowances, Aluko said:
"Government will top it up with
further releases once universities
are through with the disbursement
of this new figure of N40 million.
So, Vice-Chancellors are urged to
expedite this disbursement within the
shortest possible time using guiding
templates that have been sent by the
CVC," the circular said.