ASUU/FG meeting ends with task for Union

By, Temitope Mustapha, Abuja

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The interactive meeting between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) aimed at  evaluating the implementation  of the Memorandum of Action(MOA) entered into by the parties has  ended in Abuja with a task on ASUU to revert  to its members to get proper update on extent of inconsistencies in payment of  their salaries
Addressing Journalists after the meeting,  the Minister of Labour and Employment , Senator  Chris Ngige said the meeting evaluated seven key issues, with both parties expressing  satisfaction  with the  implementation stages of what he described as“work in progress. ”
The Minister said  some of the items in the  MOA were  nearly done  hundred percent within the timeline.
 He explained that the National Information Technology Development Agency(NITDA) was  directed to expedite action on the integrity test  on the   University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) which if successful,  would eliminate the challenges posed by the peculiarities of the university system to the current payment platform.
The Minister further said  government has also paid the sum of N30billion as the University Revitalisation Fund as contained in the MOA since January 2021.
The money according to him, is still lodged with the Central Bank of Nigeria, pending the conclusion of the audit  report of the Implementation Committee on the use of previous funds disbursement to universities by the Ministry of Education and the National University Commission.
The report has been turned in , deliberated upon and  both the Education Ministry and the NUC have promised to write to the Accountant General of the Federation next week  for the release of the money to the NEEDS Special Account for onward disbursement to universities shortly,” he said.
The Minister  stated that the monies would be  paid to  successful universities  based on the evaluation report of the committee while those  with shortcomings would be made to make up before accessing the fund.
He further disclosed that  apart from the N40billion Earned Allowance which the Federal Government has already paid, the Budget Office of the Federation  showed evidence that N22B Earned Allowances for year 2021  was already captured in the 2021 supplementary budget of the federation, and would soon be accessed.
“ On the proliferation of State universities , a bill has been sent to the National Assembly by the NUC to strengthen its  arms in terms of delisting universities where funding and other parameters are inadequate,” Ngige said.
The Minister hinted that ASUU should revert  to its members so as to have update on extent of the inconsistencies in payment.
We expressed our displeasure that these things are happening – amputation of salaries, not-too-clear, foggy things happening over peoples monthly  emoluments. So we have asked IPPIS and ASUU to work together over this ,” the  Minister said.
He said the evidence was presented that promotion arrears have been paid to some universities while the Budget Office of the federation and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation  were  asked to liaise with ASUU to sort out the rest.
The Minister noted  that the standing committee on the matter  has been expended to include National Income Salaries and Wages Commission .
A situation where a university professor  is paid N107, 000 out of mistake  or over deduction is unacceptable,” Ngige declared.
Commending ASUU, the Minister further expressed  shock that the National Association of Resident Doctors(NARD) would  embark on another  strike after holding a similar successful  evaluation meeting with him, last week.
 The President of ASUU Professor Emmanuel  Osodeke expressed satisfaction with the outcome and promised  ASUU would reach out  to  members.
Relevant Ministries and agencies were represented at the meeting, including the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Peter Tarfa and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Professor Rasheed Abubakar.
These developments were made known in a statement signed and made available  to journalists by the Federal Ministry of Labour , Deputy Director Press and Public Relations , Charles Akpan.
Lateefah Ibrahim
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