FG Lied About Releasing N100bn To Universities – ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has
alleged that none of the universities had received any
money from the N100bn the Federal government
claimed to have disbursed to 59 public universities to
improve infrastructure.
Speaking yesterday, after leading members of the
branch on a peaceful march around Makurdi town in
protest of the lingering Federal Government/ASUU
impasse, Chairman of the Federal University of
Agriculture Makurdi branch of ASUU, Dr. Celestine
Aguoru, said: "As we are talking today, government has
not released one kobo out of the N100 billion they
claimed they have given the universities; this goes to
show the level of insincerity of the government.
"The truth is that government is paying lip service to
the development of education in this country and has
therefore resorted to playing politics with the education
sector and the future of our children.
"It is rather unfortunate that majority of those who are
leading us today went to school in their time on
scholarships, but today they do not want our children to
benefit from that same gesture, all because of greed.
"Today we are faced with a situation where the amount
Nigerians spend yearly to educate their children in
Ghana is far more than the yearly budgetary allocation
to the education sector.
"Our leaders are not being fair to our country,
government should as a matter of priority implement its
agreements with ASUU, Nigerians are tired of this
deceit; they should remember that if they continue to
negate their responsibilities to the people, one day they
will certainly give account to God."
Meanwhile, former Head of State, General Yakubu
Gowon has appealed to both parties to strike a
compromise for the sake of our children and the
country.
Speaking in Lagos, at the launch of the first edition of
the Shell Nigeria Scholars Forum, for the beneficiaries
of its scholarship, General Gowon argued that one of
the parties must be prepared to yield ground in order to
save the education sector.
He said: "I do believe it is time for all lovers of
education to come together and get both the federal
government and ASUU to return to the negotiation
table and resolve all outstanding grievances. Both sides
must be willing to yield ground for the sake of our
children and that of our dear country Nigeria."
In an elaborate ceremony chaired by Gowon, the
Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, and
Managing Director, SPDC, Mr Mutiu Sunmonu, said
the forum "would serve as a meeting place for all
beneficiaries of Shell post secondary scholarship
schemes.