By Frank Ikpefan, Abuja


The Federal Government has declared it does not have enough money to meet the financial demands of striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

ASUU is asking the Federal Government to release N110 billion for revitalisation.
But the government, two weeks ago, offered to release N20 billion for revitalisation.

Also, ASUU is insisting the N30 billion Earned Academic Allowance promised by the Federal Government should be for its members alone.

In total, the government has offered to release N50 billion to the striking lecturers, which is a far cry from what ASUU is asking the government to release.

These are some of the issued discussed at the resumed meeting between the government team and ASUU delegation on Wednesday in Abuja.

After hours of deliberation, the meeting again failed to reach an agreement on three key issues: revitalisation of the university system, Earned Academic Allowance and the controversial payroll system – the Integrated Personnel Payroll System (IPPIS).

Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, who briefed reporters at the end of the meeting, said the government side will meet separately on Friday to consider the counter – offer tabled by ASUU.

He said: “There are three issues: revitalisation fund where government offered ASUU N20 billion as a sign of good faith based on the MoU they entered into in 2013 as a result of the renegotiation they had with government in 2009.



“This present government is still committed to it. While we are giving them offers of some fund. This government is not against revitalisation but this government says that because of dire economic situation, because of Covid-19, we cannot really pay in the N110 billion which they are demanding for revitalisation. We offered N20 billion as revitalisation fund.

“On Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), the government offered N30 billion to all the unions in the universities, making it N50 billion all together, if you add the N20bn for revitalisation.

“ASUU is saying that the N30 billion should be for lecturers alone, irrespective of the fact that there are three other unions. So there is a little problem there. We don’t have any money to offer apart from this N30 billion.

“Again, the cardinal issue is the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) versus IPPIS. Today ASUU submitted their documents on UTAS for onward submission to National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

As you know last week, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy had approved that NITDA gets their system (UTAS) and subject it to integrity test. This test should be conducted without fear or favour and as early as possible.

So today they have submitted the documents for onward transmission to NITDA.


“One other issue that has arisen is the issue of the transition period. How do you get the Earned Academic Allowances that is due to you any other entitlement that government wants to pay you?

“They want an exemption from IPPIS and the government side headed by the Accountant – General of the Federation said that IPPIS is the only government approved payment platform.

“So that is where we are for now. So we are all going back to our principals and they will receive via me the irreducible minimum of what federal government has to offer.


“The government side will meet on Friday and after that they will communicate ASUU and in communicating them, if there is a need for a meeting, a date will be fixed for it.”



https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/11/strike-fg-ASUU-meeting-ends-in-deadlock/

Again the meeting between the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Federal Government of Nigerian as ended in deadlock, Adjourned to possibly another day ... Details soonest

fake news

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu , has blamed a previous administration for the continuous strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
Although Adamu was not specific on which administration he was referring to , he said that that government shouldn ’ t have entered into an agreement with ASUU to pay them N 1 . 3 trilion when it knew it couldn ’t pay it .
He said this while answering a question asked him by a Corp Member on the persistent ASUU strike , during a Town Hall meeting on security issues tagged ‘ Engaging the Youth and Communities ’ at the Multi -Purpose Indoor Sports Hall Complex Bauchi on Monday which was organized by the State government at the instance of the federal government .
He said the insolvable problem that had resulted in incessant strikes by the ASUU was that ‘ a government in this country went and sat down with ASUU and agreed on some conditions that it would pay universities N 1 . 3 trillion ’ .
“I do believe that while they were signing that agreement, they knew that it is not possible for them to implement it . There is just nowhere N 1 .3 trn will come out from.
“I think the basic problem between the ASUU side and the government side has been deciding on what to do about this N 1 . 3 trillion . If a government appends its signature to an agreement, it is an agreement, ” he said .
The Education Minister said that the government was not happy that the strike was still on promising , however , that an agreement would soon be reached by the government and ASUU .
“We are not happy that our campuses are closed, we are not happy that the calendar of schools has been disrupted . But the fault is the government that signed to do what it knew it could not do.
“But I assure you that we are on the verge of reaching an agreement and very , very soon , we will reach an agreement with them . ”
Also responding to a question raised by a teacher, Adamu said the President has pledged to be paying anyone who intends to be trained as a teacher immediately after secondary school .
He said : “ There is a pension scheme exclusively for teachers . All teachers ’ children will be taught free in school . They won ’ t pay a single Kobo in the course of training their children .
“The government also approved special allowances for rural postings, like hardship allowance .”


source: https://punchng.com/past-govt-responsible-for-persistent-ASUU-strike-education-minister/

Elsueno:


I didn't know FG stopped them from generating revenue.

But if it will stop this strike, then universities should go up to 600k. Schoolarship then should be given to the less privileged who qualify academically.


Besides, education is not supposed to be cheap. Enough of this chronic socialism we dey practice. If things costs as it should be. Maybe our population will even stop increasing exponentially

meaning you in support of economic difficulties?

richfriendsng:
Students chat me if you can blog, I have one for everyone plus short tutorial on how to manage it, get paid while sitting your ass at home, no time.
Just quote me, no pm.

interested

euniselfyahoo:
Buhari should atleast do some good that he will be remember for. This ASUU strke and other things that need to be taken care of.

ASUU cannot be satisfied!

Govt though need to make deliberate sacrifices.

As Students, just get busy with something good and forget them for now

[quote author=Coronavirus84 post=95501782]
Its not about servicing of loans, its the incompetent staff of IPPIS that made a wrong deduction from our salaries even the University Bursar receive 15k which am aware then in the month of April, 2020. You can confirmed this am telling from all federal universities worker[/quo

has the issue been rectified?

what of if she is relating to you because her last relationship, she was cheated upon?

Just ask her about it maybe she dey traumatized or insecure because of it

[quote author=zikter post=95461348]But what other measures? Our government doesn't understand anything apart from the strike. If not for the strikes, the little respect for the public universities would have totally gone. Even the corruption in all facets of Nigeria is driven by government. So the government is still the genesis of everything. Worse still, if the money needed to find our education system was made available and embezzled, one would know where to vent ones anger, but the money is not even there. Go and look at education budget and compare with the nations will like making reference to[/]

with all the phD holders, MSc, BSc and professors it's only torturing students to get what is needed they can think of?

ashybabs:

I can send u PDF via Whatsapp if u want

08160254581

ashybabs:

I can send u PDF via Whatsapp if u want

08160254581

From the official Twitter account of a Federal Minister of Nigeria, Festus Keyamo, SAN and ASUU' Twitter handle there is an indication discussions resumed today (evening). Will today's meeting yield a positive result?

let's keep our fingers crossed �

https://mobile.twitter.com/ASUUNGN/status/1321504568690225153

Yes it's holding.
check Festus Keyamo SAN verified Twitter account. He updated it 36min ago

Tiwatopebabe:
#endASUU
#endASUU
#endASUU
If we take out time to reflect on the quagmire of frustrating never-ending problems that this country has found herself today, we will establish the significant role ASUU played. It began with those empty professors. Of what use is your Western education if it cannot better the lot of your fatherland. We expected so much from them during the election but they put integrity aside and rigged the election. Why didn't we leave it to the things then? Some of us trusted you, we said, "give it to the enlightened and educated. They'll do it better". Thanks for proving us wrong. You're just so square peg in a round hole eventually.
No wonder their products are looters, bad politicians, leaders without focus. Simply because you sacrificed intergrity for money. Continue "eating" the money. Your day of reckoning is near.
You are the Same ones who won't go to classes yet you won't allow budding graduates to blossom. Look at you, Lord of your fallen jungle. Did you see how much you have contributed to the fall of education? There was a time youths would aspire to get to the university, now they've bleeped it. When, while you were supposed to be fighting for an effective university-ing, you were fighting for money. Allocations. Stupid allocations that has never been used for the upgrading of any university. And fighting for it means the students will stay at home for months and months, year in, year out. I'm yet to see a year you don't go on strike. For what? For your selfish reason.
All of a sudden, the university has almost become a time-wasting tool. Shame. But don't worry, those you lord over are into 'Yahoo'. They'll come back to make up the bad government that you created in the first place. While I'm sure you'll still be tabling requests of money. All you know how to do.
We are getting towards that time, when the university will be an ordinary estate and ASUU, a shadow of its empty self.

bless u for this!

WhatsApp me on +2348160254581

Ikillbrokehoes:
Direct Ur curses to the government not ASUU, Nigerian educational sector is rotten and dilapidated, dat's the same reason why I never schooled in Nigeria

That's why you won't understand what it means to being in same level for a minimum of 2years

wizflame:
e tire me o i no know wetin dem wan go use November and December do for school this 2020

what of if them no call am off next year nkor?

I don't blame both of them again sef, nah NANS and NAUS who refuse to fight for the Students right but choose to be bribed!

The great Catalonian side is going through one of the worst times of the club's history as it was recently revealed that some very important players have refused to sign a contract extension despite the team not doing well lately.


If you can remember,the major story of the summer was that of Lionel Messi forcing a move away from the club after the 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions league,this really raised a lot of brows up but he finally changed his mind and revealed he would be staying for just one more season.



Well,the latest saga which is ongoing in with the Catalonian giants is that seven of Barcelona's first team players have refused to extend their current deal according to Mundo Deportivo.


Mundo Deportivo reports have revealed that Antoine Griezmann,Ousmane Dembele,Philippe Coutinho,Jordi Alba,Sergi Roberto,Sergio Busquet and the king himself Lionel Messi have all rejected to extend their current deals which include 30- 50 Percent pay cuts.


It was also explained that Josep Maria Orobitg who is the intermediary that represents Sergio Roberto and Busquet has pulled the plug at negotiation without considering the fact that Barca are trying their best to find a solution to the current situation.


But some few first team players have agreed to remain and have recently renewed their contracts,this includes Ter Steven, Pique,Lenglet and De Jong.


Well this is really a bad time for Barcelona,but I hope they would be able to get through this.



News Source: Mundo Deportivo

cue64:
Okay an off topic update, yesterday morning, (it’s 5:14 here already) when my girlfriend called me and told me what some Nigerian guys did I quickly rushed down to the club even though that was the time i wanted to sleep, when I go there things were already calm but someone had called the police, so we had to leave. I told everyone to leave and o thought we all left only to wake up later and I got a call that there was another big fight outside the club, Nigerians fighting over some stupid reasons, and it was so big that it stopped traffic on the road and then people started recording videos and all then police came back, now the club has a problem.
Living here sometimes I just feel so ashamed to ever identify that I am a nigerian honestly, cos the behave of some of our brothers is really disgusting, but it is what it is...

is your GF Chinese?

It's a pure game!

ASUU tried avoiding the meeting because their struggle didn't take account to their sister associations.

FG have to combine them all to share the money for the EAA with a condition ASUU must accept IPPIS.

Indirectly if ASUU keep rejecting IPPIS they deprive other sister Associations of getting their EAA.

And they will turn against ASUU for doing that!

It's all a game at Students detriment!

KevMitnick:
Dm me if you want to study at NUC accredited universities in other west African countries. Wise Nigerians are dumping Nigerian schools and graduating every session.

I commend our northern brothers, they have taken advantage of this opportunity because the Nigerian university system doesn't favor them.

They are graduating and going for service every year without hitches.

Take advantage of this opportunity because the stalemate between ASUU and the Nigerian government isn't ending soon.

graduate fast no enough job to go around at the end of the day?!

ArticleBeast:

You get value for the amount of fee you pay. If you need more value pay more fee.

how much mor can students pay?! where; schools like FUOYE tuition is +100k exception to acceptance fee and other unnecessary fees, UNIBEN acceptance alone for students is about 80k with +60k tuition, not to talk of over 77,000 students who are staylites. No difference with some private school who have non-stopped calenders

Kingof2nations:

it's our right to have a better education and yet you are still blaming ASUU instead of you to chanel your grievance to govt

I am not in support of the action of both of them!

Even when u look at it in a saner sense ASUU is depriving us of our rights when compared to FG (who are not left out). Can't they think of other means to channel their grievances as intellectuals?

Jung:


Which mumu school fees you pay? You think your fees fit pay salary??

Better goan marry asap and stop yarning bants lol

Tuition fee is tuition fee and it's universal, no matter the amount or currency!

It's our right to better education as far as the stipulated fee has been paid!

if u are a student and u are support of ASUU or FG, u need to check ur head!... Student have the right to demand value to the school fees they paid!

if u notice in all their decisions in various chapters none partain to student well-being! and someone will be saying they are fighting for students.

As students we should demand for value for our tuition not take sides!

It's not against the law to school in Nigerian public Universities!

There is a mistake our generation make by equating acquiring education to acquiring wealth... everybody can be rich through whatsoever means, but good education help one sustain it.
people believe Education is scam because they believe if I get education I must be rich...

Black052:
It's sad when I read some lazy youth writing about starting end ASUU who stands to suffer most from such trend if not the youth,is it not obvious the government is not been sincere about something this is a union some members have not been paid since Feb some since July and the govt is saying payment will stop by November,for those calling for end ASUU trend think again.

They are not being paid because they refused to be paid!