Hopes of quick resolution of the present face-off between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities were dashed on Tuesday as the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said the government has no resources to meet the union demands.
Foreclosing possible truce to the five-week old industrial action that has paralysed academic activities in the nation’s ivory towers, Okonjo-Iwela said the striking university lecturers were asking for N92 billion in extra allowances, maintaining that government lack means of picking the bill.
Speaking in Minna at the annual National Council on Finance and Economic Development meeting, the minister said that ASUU demand was coming at a time government was making efforts at reducing the structure of public expenditures.
The theme of the meeting is: “Restructuring Nigeria’s Finances.”
She said, “At present ASUU wants the government to pay N92 billion in extra allowances when resources are not there and when we are working to integrate past increases in pensions. We need to make choices in this country as we are getting to the stage where recurrent expenditures take the bulk of our resources and people get paid but can do no work.”
She declared that if the demands of the university lecturers are met and “we continue to pay them salaries and allowances we will not be able to provide infrastructure in the universities.”
The minister argued that when she assumed office “the share of recurrent expenditure in our total budgets had increased astronomically. “
“In fact recurrent expenditures accounted for about 77.2 per cent of the federal budget and we are now working to re-balance this ratio,” the minister added.
Read more: Nation Newspapers
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@ geelady everybody knows that lectures are trying but we all know that every country needs a solid political foundation. It is a fact that our politicians have failed us. Ill repeat that am not a Fan of FG but we should be vigilant enough that this are not ordinary lectures in our depts that is Asuu. Most hardworking lecturers dont even buy this strike idea they believe it is only going to boycot the poor. If FG give em this money believe me they are goin to waste in and wwe wont actually see any kinda obvious result it is a fact that we all know. Our lecturers are corrupt too. They collect money to give grades, sell handout and i cant see any different btw them and the politicians. Give em the chance in office and uu will knw they are worst
All we want is a way 4wd…………FG and ASUU,shld pls reach a concensus…Tym waits for no one..some students re becoming sometin else @home…nd I knw…if d children of those @d top(FG/ASUU) were involved,dis wldnt av lingered…till now and its still lingering…I want 2graduate…wen am due 4graduation.
…ASUU truly isn’t fighting for us, if any of the ASUU chapter Chairmen sees his son or daughter sitting home for 5weeks ‘cos of strike action he’s spearheading don’t U think he’ll have a different opinion…we are the ones suffering in this power tussle. Truly ASUU has a truck load of reasons to strike but 80% are selfish not towards development of the educational system…Nigerian Students we are intellectuals, let’s look beyond the superficial gist of FG being insensitive and x-ray the true motives behind ASUU’s demands.
What of d money/profit made on subsidy removal? Has it entered voicemail? Let’s b realistic here. Lecturerz are suppose 2 b d highest paid in d country as dey impact knowledge. A country in which an ordinary councillor wit little or no qualification earn more wages compare 2 university lecturer. Whr law makerz earn more dan obama. Common, we av enof money/fund in diz country. Can’t dey cut off d wages of doze earning exorbitant feez & doesnt worth it. Dere ar alot of ghost workerz who earn more widout performing any task. Itz nt eazy 2 b a lecturer. Lecturing job is tougher dan any oder govt job in diz country. Why can’t federal govt b considerate. Dey prefer 2 jst sit down in deir office and squander d country’s money. Itz nt fair and God iz watching
she is rigth and i support her. Asuu is not actually going on striike because of education standards or any of their false calms. Its only because of there selfish needs. I must tell u the truth most of these Asuu boss have their children studying in best unniversities abroad. Am not a Fan of the FG but its a fact that Asuu is not fighting for us and we should not allow them to brainwash us. Why is it that their main subject is the allowance? They are comparin themselves with politicians? Why cant they try politics and know how hard it is. Asuu is greedy
*she declared that if the demands of the university lecturers are met and “we continue to pay them salaries and allowances we will not be able to provide infrastructure in the universities* is that it?? That’s the problem? Infrastructures? Then please pay them u neva provide infrastructures and u also knw there are no plans to provide any…just ur usual rhetorics..to hell with FG!!
4k d FG…..u guyz ar jst 4kin bastards
@Ogwu I wonder o. Don’t mind them. They are trying to corner public sympathy & seems it s working because some ignorant fellows are ready to bury asuu if possible. So unfortunate smh.
I’m currently undergoing an MSc programme in UNILAG & even though it s about the school with the highest funding (among public schools in Nigeria) because of its IGR, they still do not possess a number of basic research equipment like NMR and even the IR machine got spoilt I heard. HPLC machines are available but all the ones I’ve seen have become old thereby not performing optimally. Research students usually send samples to private firms for analysis at astronomically high costs. I know a few that sent theirs abroad because their supervisors do not trust these available machines to give reliable values.
And we’re all here blaming Asuu
hmmmmm, strike no go end ooooooo