ASUU Slams FG, Calls It Liar Over Release Of Intervention Funds

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Wednesday, described as false, claim by the Federal Government that N130 billion had been released to universities. According to the union, the Federal Government was yet to release any kobo of the said amount, but had only sent a letter to the governing councils of universities through the National Universities Commission, NUC.

The revelation was contained in a communiqué read by ASUU Zonal Coordinator, Dr. Ademola Nasir, at the end of the zone meeting at the University of Ibadan. The zone comprises University of Ibadan, Lagos State University, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, University of Lagos, Olabisi Onabanjo University and Tai Solarin University of Education.

ASUU said the government was only interested in awarding contracts of a four-bedroom for N8.5million instead of the original cost of N800,000 and N1.2million, saying, “rather than for government to source for the intervention funds from other agencies outside TETFUND, it has decided to hijack the resources of TETFUND, which already belong to the universities and use it as intervention funds for this purpose.

“In doing this, the regular intervention of TETFUND is blocked. This attitude of government is fraudulent to say the least.”

The union, after passing a vote of confidence on its national leadership over the current strike, regretted that “a government that always says our graduates are not employable finds it difficult to put the best of its resources into the system to make it work.”