ASUU strike update 27/08/13: There is no need for the lecturers to continue – President Jonathan

President
Goodluck
Jonathan earlier today, said
there was no
need for the
Academic
Staff Union of
Universities to
continue with
their industrial
action.
Mr. Jonathan
said this at
the
inauguration of
the Federal Government sponsored-Transformation
Projects at the Federal University of Technology,
Owerri (FUTO).
Represented by Ruqayyat Rufai, the Minister of
Education, the president said N30 billion had been
released for the payment of earned allowances in all
public universities.
The president said that the inaugurated projects were
in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to
providing quality education in the country. He said the
projects were based on the need assessment exercise
conducted by the Federal Government in universities.
University lecturers have been on a nationwide strike
for over 8 weeks with the lecturers demanding a full
implementation of a 2009 agreement it had with the
federal government. While the government says it has
provided N30 billion for earned allowances of lecturers,
the lecturers said about N92 billion is required to
completely offset the earned allowances of the
concerned lecturers. That and other demands are the
reasons the lecturers have continued with their strike.
Mr. Jonathan also urged the
FUTO administration to engage
in research for national
development, while stressing the need for proper
maintenance of completed projects.
The Vice Chancellor of FUTO, Chidozie Asiabaka, in his
speech, expressed joy at the completion of the
structure.
Mr. Asiabaka noted that the projects had gone a long
way in tackling the dearth of basic infrastructure in
the school.
“The dearth of classrooms, lecture theatres, power
supply, student hostels, office accommodation, library
space and facilities are major challenges my
administration faced when I assumed office two
years-ago,’’ he said.
The vice chancellor said with the intervention of the
Tertiary Education Trust Fund, the university got 1000
sitting-capacity lecture theatre, Centre for
Entrepreneurial Studies Building.
He said the inaugurated projects are the new
Engineering Technology, School of Environmental
Technology Building, Centre for Nuclear Energy Studies
and Training and the School of Agriculture and
Agricultural Technology building complexes.
The others are the School of Environmental Technology
building, landscaping of the campus and the provision
of solar energy lights on the campus.
He also commended the Niger Delta Development
Commission (NDDC) on the completion of the giant
student hostel building in the university.
He lauded the Federal Government for the release of
N1 billion for the development of capital projects in each public funded university.