We Demanded For N3 TRILLION, Not N130 BILLION – ASUU President

The National President of the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU), Dr. Nasir Fagge, has accused the
federal government of not telling Nigerians the truth
about the demand of the union as regards the
government's statement that the union's demand has
been met.
According to Fagge, ASUU had a Memoranda of
Understanding (MoU) with the federal government for
it to spend over N3 trillion to turn around the fortune
of all federal and state universities and also to better the
lot of the educational sector in the country.
"The agreement is for the federal government to spend
N800 billion yearly for the next four years, but what
we have is government talking about N130 billion
which is very insignificant," he said.
Fagge made the revelation Tuesday, while fielding
questions from journalists, at the end of the congress of
the Benue State University chapter of ASUU, in
Makurdi.
He said: "Our demands are genuine, and it is based on
the mutual agreement entered into in 2009 by
government and ASUU. We urge the government to be
responsible to that agreement.
"President Goodluck Jonathan said the strike is being
politicised but the truth is that it is government that is
playing politics with our demands. It is as if every
problem in this country is now being politicised.
"I want to ask one basic question: Is it political to ask
government to be responsible enough to implement an
agreement she willingly entered into.
"It is important to state clearly that we are a union of
intellectuals, and we cannot accept a situation were the
tail will wag the dog. Whatever we do is for the
betterment of the Nigerian university system."
In addition, the ASUU national president said: "It is
important to place on record that the struggle is a
continuous one but the implementation of the 2009
agreement is key to improving on facilities in our
universities and placing it at par with what we have in
other parts of the world."