The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday denied receiving the sum of N52.12 billion as claimed by the Federal Government.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, recently declared that the government has released the sum to ASUU as part of the cumulatively earned allowance owed to the union.
Addressing the press in Kano, the State Zonal Coordinator of the union, Professor Abdulkadir Muhammad, said only N22.17 billion was released as Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) out of which only 75% (N16.6bn) was released to members of the union while the remaining 25 per cent was for other sister unions.
Professor Abdulkadir who described the claim as “deceptive, misleading and aimed at smearing the image of our Union and members in the public eye”, insisted ASUU will not be submissive to mischievous attempts orchestrated by the government.
He said the union is not happy with the government’s effort to trivialize the union’s campaign and make it look as if it was all about money, adding that signing the reached agreement was the most important to help salvage the university system in the country.
“For the record, the N30billion out of which N20billion was released for revitalization was given to university managements to address infrastructural decay on our campuses; no single kobo was given to any member of ASUU (out of this).
“It is also pertinent for the public to note that even the N22.17billion EAA that was paid, only 75 per cent was due to our members while the remaining 25 per cent was given to other sister unions.
“We, therefore, call on the Minister to always put issues in proper perspective and desist from playing dicey politics with serious national matter like university education of the future leaders of our beloved country,” he said.
The Union also called on “governments at all level to do the needful to address the ravaging insecurity, banditry, kidnappings and incessant killings of innocent Nigerians.”
It also frowned at the government’s attempt to increase tax and remove fuel subsidy which will make life more unbearable to Nigerians.
