ASUU strike: Jonathan approves N400bn lifeline – SSANU

The end to the present strike by the Academic
Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) may be in
sight as President Goodluck Jonathan has
approved N400 billion for the infrastructural
development of Nigerian universities.
The document to this effect is expected to be
made available today at the meeting of the
presidential committee on implementation of
the NEEDS assessment in the universities with
the leaders of the four university-based unions
– the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian
Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff
Union of Educational and Associated
Institutions (NASU), the National Association
of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and the
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The President of SSANU, Samson Ugwoke, made
the revelation while addressing his union
members at the SSANU National Executive
Committee (NEC) meeting held at the weekend
at the University of Abuja.
Ugwoke, briefing the SSANU members on the
activities of the NEEDS assesment
implementation committee, led by Benue State
Governor, Gabriel Suswam. He noted that the
fund was different from the N100 billion
Governor Suswam had raised from donor
agencies and big companies to tackle the
problems of Nigerian universities in 2013.
The labour leader said: “Let me give you a tip
on what the NEEDS assessment committee is
doing. The president has approved that within
the next four years; N400 billion would be
expended in infrastructural development of
Nigerian universities, to transform the
universities to international standard.
“N100 billion has already been raised by
Suswam committee out of which 61 universities
have been pencilled down, as contained in the
NEEDS assessement committee. The N100
billion is expected to address needs of the
universities in the areas which include re-
furbishing and renovation of lecture theatres
and lecture halls, re-furbishing and renovation
of laboratories/libraries and the renovation of
hostels.
“The second category is building of new hostels
of international standard, self-contained
rooms, the latest model in the world. That is
the standard to be built in every university,
and also the state-of-the-art laboratories as
well as classrooms, lecture theatres and the
halls.”
Ugwoke pointed out that the money had been
shared and out of the N100 billion, N96 billion
had been sent to universities.
He added: “The committee is meeting again on
Monday, and by Monday (today), the document
will be out. This time around, it is not only by
giving university money, but it will be
monitored to ensure that the money is used to
transform the universities, to bail universities
out of the present situation and developed to
an international recognized university
standard.”