The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) urged the National Assembly to amend the National Universities Commission Act in a bid to address the underfunding of several state universities in Nigeria, and also, the high tuition fees of state universities.
This was disclosed by Prof. Abdulkadir Muhammad, coordinator of the Kano Zone of the Union, at a press conference held at Bayero University Kano, on Friday.
What ASUU is saying about NUC amendment
“We are calling on the national assembly to, as a matter of urgency, consider and pass the Bill. Due to bad governance and underfunding, our state-owned universities may soon collapse beyond redemption.
“Visitors of state universities had turned establishment of state universities into projects for appeasing electorates in their senatorial and state constituencies while neglecting the existing state universities,” he said.
They added that apart from poor funding for state universities, most state governors have also failed in the primary responsibility of regular payment of staff salaries in their universities.
ASUU also hinted it has rejected the charging of exorbitant tuition fees in the state universities because it places university education beyond the reach of common Nigerians.
The Union urged the Federal Government to sign and implement the draft ASUU/FGN renegotiated agreement of May 2021, in addition to the release of the first tranche of the N30 billion fund for the revitalization of public universities.
“The government should also release N25 billion Earned Academic Allowance.
“We also urge the federal government to immediately remit withheld check-off dues to the branches of the withheld and amputated salaries/ allowances and third party deductions,” he stated.
What you should know
Recall Nairametrics reported last month that in a move to avert another round of industrial action, the Federal Government and the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) held an emergency meeting to iron out issues relating to the allegations raised by the lecturers regarding the non-implementation of their agreement with the government last December.
