Benjamin Babine, Abuja
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) University of Abuja chapter has rejected the N20billion offered by the Federal Government for the revitalisation of public universities, demanding N500 billion instead.
In a statement, yesterday, after a meeting of its congress, UNIABUJA ASUU said the N20 billion offered by the Federal Government would not do anything significant in revamping the dilapidated state of infrastructure in public universities in the country.
“Congress rejects the N20 billion for revitalisation fund to the universities and requested for an upgrade to a minimum of N500 billion. And this must be released immediately as a mark of government’s commitment towards addressing the decay in the university system,” the union said.
The union also stated that the government must pay the full N40billion Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) owed its members for November 2019 and August 2020. It also demanded the immediate mainstreaming of the EAA into the national budget.
On IPPIS, ASUU said: “Congress re-affirmed its earlier position by rejecting IPPIS in totality. Consequently, congress commends the union’s leadership for the development of UTAS which captures the peculiarities of the university system. Going forward, our salaries should be paid with UTAS.”
It also rejected the proposition that ASUU members are to enroll into IPPIS as a prerequisite for payment of withheld salaries. They further demanded all withheld salaries to be paid immediately and by University Transparency and Accounting Solution (UTAS).
Meanwhile, Ahmadu Bello University Chapter of the union have released a statement rejecting the offers of the Federal Government and committing to the strike until their demands are met.