The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Friday demanded the payment of N124 billion it claims the Federal Government owes lecturers from 2013 to 2016.

The ASUU Calabar Zone at a conference in the Cross River state capital said the debt has started having effects on the operations of universities.

The group also said the government has refused to implement the 2009 ASUU-Federal Government agreement and Memorandum of Understanding of 2013.

Members of the zone include; University of Calabar, University of Uyo, Cross River University of Technology, Akwa Ibom State University, Abia State University and Ebonyi State University.

The chairman of ASUU, University of Calabar said the issues could destroy the educational systed of the country.

“Presently, a huge cloud of uncertainty hangs over the University system in our country due to a number of unresolved issues. The earned academic allowances being owed lecturers in all the universities between 2013 to 2016 has reached N124billion.

“You would recall that for six months in 2013 ASUU waged a struggle for the revitalisation of our universities through the implementation of the 2009 agreement. It is indeed depressing that there has been no indication of seriousness on the part of the FG to honour the MoU reached in November 2013 as a road map to the implementation of that agreement.

“This is in spite of the understanding demonstrated by the Union, which in our opinion, has been taken for granted. For instance, the funds for revitalization of Universities have not been released for some time now contrary to the Agreement, thus piling the arrears to N495bn.

“Another development is the inexplicable payment of salaries in fractions in federal universities since December 2015- a situation that has brought about a lot of frustration and embarrassment on our campuses. At best, government’s explanation for this unjust act has been cloudy.

“As it is, ASUU can no longer guarantee industrial peace on our campuses, as academic staff think government has taken them for a ride.”

Azeez