ASUU strike: Union rejects FG’s N200bn offer

The end to the ongoing strike by the
Academic Staff Union Of Universities, ASUU,
might not be in view yet, as the union has
rejected the offer of N200 billion by the
Federal Government. The government had earlier offered N130 to
the protesting lecturers in order to resolve
the impasse; the offer was also increased to
N150 billion, all of which ASUU rejected,
insisting that government must implement
the 2009 agreement. The union asserted that going by the 2009
agreement, government is supposed to
have injected N500 billion by the end of
2013, with another N500 billion by 2014. Nassarawa State University Keffi (NSUK)
branch chairman of the Union, Dr. Thephilus
Lagithe stated that the actual amount in the
2009 agreement was N1.3 trillion to be
paid over a period of four years. He said, “Recently, they called us and said
instead of the 100 billion, we are giving you
N150 and recently they said from that 150
billion, they are going to make it 200
billion. But these are just promises. Speaking further, he said, “last year, they
were supposed to inject N100 billion and
this year N400 billion. Then next year, N500
billion. But from all indication, the
government is not even serious about
injecting money into the education sector. It said the N100 billion which the
government had earlier promised to give
the union was supposed to have been paid
in 2012. It said if the strike continues to
2014, the money will then rise to N900
billion.