By Ibe Pascal Arogorn
The fact ,ASUU and FG entered into an agreement in 2009 ,till today those demands from ASUU have not been met by FG .Not even a single one.
look at how terrible Nigerian varsities has become , No research equipments as a varsities shouldn’t based on theory
Our students out there only wants to go back ,where majority if them aimed to continue with cohabitative lifestyles and unchecked freedom. Most of our varsities students don’t even know some demands from ASUU to the Nigerian Government ,It is for the betterment of Nigerian Student’s . Ok look at lecture halls in our Varsities crowded with students in a single hall ,how can a student learn extensively?
The FG knew that they can handle this demands from ASUU but our leaders don’t care about education system hence their Children are studying abroad. ASSU have comprised so many times in the past including in 2019 But I tell you it won’t happen again. They are ready till eternity to wait until demands are met completely and they are in accord this time.
According to the document obtained by Premium times, it was agreed to recommend that:
All regular Federal Universities shall require the sum of one trillion , five hundred and eighteen billion, three hundred and thirty-one million, five hundred and forty-five thousand, three hundred and four naira (N1,518,331,545,304) only for the period 2009-2011 as follows:
Year Amount (N)
2009 472,031,575,919
2010 497,531,778,701
2011 548,768,190,681
Total 1,518,331,545,304
b.) Each State University shall require three million, six hundred and eighty thousand and eighteen Naira (N3,680,018) per student for the period 2009 – 2011 as follows:
Year Amount (N)
2009 1, 144, 075
2010 1, 205, 880
2011 1, 330, 063
Total (approximated) 3,680,000These amounts include Recurrent and Capital Grants, and are based mainly on the disaggregated returns from the universities.
The goal of this negotiation is to put Nigeria in a strong position to become a knowledge-based society that will be able to compete and survive in the 21st century. To achieve this, the entire education system requires massive funding at all levels. While non-budgetary sources have a role to play, and there must be continuous efforts to identify and use them prudently, the major source of funding education for national development is through budgetary allocation from State and Federal Governments. With this in view, the Re-negotiation Committee agreed to recommend to the relevant authorities that:
A minimum of 26% of the annual budget of the State and Federal Governments be allocated to education.
At least 50% of the budgeted 26% shall be allocated to the universities; and,
The representation of the Federal Ministry of Education to the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission to put education on the “First Charge” be vigorously pursued.
Being mindful of the processes for meeting this goal of 26% annual budgetary allocation to education as enunciated in the UNESCO benchmark, the Federal Government shall endeavour to progressively increase its budgetary allocation to the education sector in accordance with its vision 20:2020 programme.
It was agreed that the Federal Government should, as appropriate, provide general assistance both to the State Governments that are proprietors of the Universities and those that do not own Universities but need assistance in the area of higher education, as allowed by the Nigerian Constitution (Section 164.1)
It was agreed to recommend that the Education Tax Fund Act be amended to:
Return the Education Tax Fund to its original conception as Higher Education Fund;
Make the Education Tax Fund more effective as an intervention to rehabilitate, restore and reposition Tertiary Educational Institutions in Nigeria in order to develop a knowledge-based society in the twenty-first century;
Make for a better representation on the Board of Trustees of the Education Tax Fund;
Propose a fair procedure for the disbursement of the fund through the creation of a Team of Experts to assess research proposals submitted to the Board of Trustees;
Provide a better specification of the areas in which the funds shall be disbursed;
Make appropriate specification of qualities of members of the Board of Trustees in order to reflect the change in the conception of the Fund; and,
Propose the proportion of disbursement of the funds between the Universities, Polytechnics, and Colleges of Education.
It was agreed that Governing Councils of Universities shall access and effectively utilize funds from PTDF for research, training and development of academic staff. Accordingly, it is recommended that Government shall encourage PTDF to assist Universities in this regard.
This was an item of agreement in both the 1992 and 2001 FGN/ASUU Agreements. It was, therefore, agreed that the Implementation Monitoring Committee of this Agreement shall pursue its implementation as appropriate.
It was agreed that the Federal and State agencies shall be encouraged to patronize quality university consultancies, without prejudice to the principle of due process.
It was agreed that Governing Councils of Universities shall encourage Alumni Associations to contribute funds to Universities through direct funding endorsements, bequests, etc.
It was agreed that Governing Councils of Universities shall encourage Alumni Associations to contribute funds to Universities through direct funding endorsements, bequests, etc.
It was agreed that each academic department in the Nigerian Universities shall be provided with minimum set of equipment to enable it to execute its mandate. The collective use of highly specialized equipment of exceedingly high cost through establishment of central laboratories among departments should be encouraged. However, this cannot be a substitute for specialized laboratories in departments. Each University shall arrange its own cost-saving measure.
It was agreed that Universities shall be entitled to duty-free importation of books, laboratory equipment, journals and other teaching and research materials.
It was agreed that Government shall encourage companies registered in Nigeria to intensify their Research and Technical Collaboration with Nigerian Universities within the next ten years, with a view to playing a more significant role in the development of research and relevant technologies in Nigerian Universities.
It was agreed that Government shall, in respect of University Education, formulate and implement a three-year rolling plan.
It was agreed that, to help in enforcing discipline and ensuring budget performance, each University Governing Council shall set up a Budget Monitoring Committee.
The Committee shall comprise one elected representative each, of Congregation, Senate, ASUU, SSANU, NAAT, NASU and the Students’ Union, with an external member of the Governing Council as Chairman.
It was further agreed that Government and its agencies shall make public all funds released to Universities immediately after the release.
It was also agreed that each University shall:
Resuscitate and make operational and transparent the democratic budgetary structures and processes provided for in University laws or that were traditional to Universities.
Utilize funds mainly for (a) effective remedy of deficiencies in programmes and facilities; and (b) systematic upgrading of programmes and facilities; and,
Be guided by the principles enshrined in the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 and the Public Procurement Act 2007 as well as fiscal transparency.
It was agreed to recommend that each University Governing Council should introduce Post-Doctoral Fellowship Leave with Pay outside Nigeria into the University’s Conditions of Service as part of its Staff Development Programme, to be funded as appropriate.
It was agreed that the provision of up-to-date equipment in each department, to facilitate teaching and research, shall be reflected in the Annual Budget of Universities.
Perhaps, The 2009 agreements ASUU had with FG would have been met in 2019 general General election when ASUU was on strike.that would have been the best time to hold Nigerian government down but without one voice in the union that industrial action crashed to the rocks without resolutions after students have stayed 4 Months at home.
Having rejected their Mode of receiving payments,The Integrated payroll and Personnel Information system (IPPIS) ,On August 2020 , The Academic Staff Union of Universities told the Federal Government that the University Transparency and Accountability Solution , which it developed as an alternative to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System is read for integrity tests
According to ASUU, the software for UTAS was unveiled and demonstrated to the Minister of Education and senior management staff of the Ministry of Education , including the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Abdulrasheed Abubakar.
The national President of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi , made this known during a press conference held at the Gwagwalada campus of the University of Abuja , attended by almost all its national officers.
But Ogunyemi maintained that it would not suspend its ongoing strike until the Federal Government honours its 2019 agreements.
“ It is our sincere hope that the government would not renege on its promise because the benefits of UTAS to the university system ( both public and private) cannot be found in any other software in Nigeria today. Now that the union is close to meeting the government ’ s demand on an alternative to IPPIS , it is our sincere hope that the substantive issues in the ongoing strike action would be given the desired attention , ” he added .
The ASUU president also lamented that five months ’ salaries of their members at the University of Maiduguri and the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture , Umudike are still withheld by the Accountant – General of the Federation on account of non -registration on IPPIS .
Wild Students don’t even know a single demand of the union ,all they want is their four years to graduate with an empty cipher .In Mild August the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) embarked on a unrealistic and self imposed protests to demand for resumption of schools.
I thank God on how the Union have resolved to recently. They have known that Federal Government are not ready to sit with them (ASUU) to talk of negotiations.
Thus in recent statements ASUU Credited on Twitter, they wow never to reopen schools until demand are met completely by the Nigerian Government.
Some the of the statements rwad a in part:”One of the strategies Nigerian governments (past and present) have adopted, though without success, to punish and muzzle ASUU has been the stoppage of salaries. Obasanjo’s regime stopped ASUU salaries for close to eight months, that of Jonathan stopped ASUU salaries for six months and the Buhari government has done that for 2-7 months. The stoppage of salaries is usually a deliberate ploy to make ASUU hungry and miserable so that the Union will cower at the negotiating table. But ASUU is a union that has been hardened by hunger and it can always wear courage like a shield..
ASUU is not an enemy to students and their parents. It is indeed painful to see students, ex-students and parents hurl expletives at ASUU for daring to bare their own crosses. In a sane world, this would have easily been a straight fight between student unions and the government with members of ASUU sipping tea in the background and weighing in favorably on the side of the students if need be.
Look at NANS for instance, how did one of the most powerful progressive vanguards in the defense of the integrity of public university education turn into an insecure tail wagging puppet on the laps of rival politicians in glaring display of unhindered sycophantic servitude to their very own oppressors.
How is it that students don’t even recognize who their real oppressors are anymore. They hail politicians whose children attend universities abroad. Politicians who do not even believe in our university system to start with and rain insults on ASUU, the only active vanguard today in defense of public education.
Our students use their data to like, share and retweet photographs of politicians attending their children’s convocation ceremonies from universities in the UK and US while they wallow at home due to one ASUU strike or the other.
I think parents and students need to know who their real oppressors are. Politicians who send their children to universities other than the one they expect you to send your own children to do not deserve your support, they certainly do not deserve your protection.
This of course, is not to lose sight of the positive individual contributions of some of our students who have shown a very good grasp of the situation and have been very supportive to the course.
Now is the time ,ASUU shouldn’t stand down for anything, no matter many years even if it runs into decade .it can only be once and for all.
our Tertiary institutiona deserve the best at this time .The nibbles,Alutas are solidly behind ASUU’s quest from this moment.
Ibe Pascal Arogorn is a Journalist and Columnist
Email Ibepascal858@gmail.com
