Despite the resolve on Thursday by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to continue the ongoing strike until all agreements signed in 2009 are implemented, the federal government yesterday ordered the lecturers to go back to the classrooms after it had disbursed of N30b for Earned Academic Allowances, (EAA).
The directive, which was issued yesterday by the secretary to the government of the federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, during a meeting between the federal government and the vice chancellors of the 61 public universities, stated that “government hereby urges every staff of the nation’s universities to return to work as all issues are being resolved.”
He also urged “every academic member of staff of the universities that is so entitled to verify his claim with the university council and accordingly get paid.”
Anyim added: “From the foregoing, it is obvious that government has demonstrated sufficient commitment to the implementation of the 2009 FG/ASUU agreement.”
“After series of discussions, government has now provided N30 billion to support the university councils in settling the earned allowances. The fund will be disbursed to the various university councils which are in the position to know who is entitled to how much after verification.”
Anyim revealed that “traditionally, universities pay this to deserving staff but because of the amount which ASUU now claims as arrears, government has decided to assist the university councils to pay, as government did not receive any computation of amount involved until February, 2013.
“By this computation, ASUU is claiming N92 billion as arrears for three years payment based on percentage range of between 15 and 20 per cent of personnel cost.”
While there is consensus that revitalising the tertiary institutions is of critical importance to the nation, Anyim noted that “when put together, the amount of funds from the budgetary and non-budgetary sources that go into the sector is quite huge but without corresponding impact.”
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