FG Accuses ASUU Of Hijacking N23bn

The non-teaching staff in the universities have said that their members will not resume work today pending when the Federal Government will pay them their Earned Allowances totalling over N66 billion.
But the Federal Government has promised to mop up money for the non-teaching staff comprising the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Associated Institutions (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), alleging that the N23billion released to the four university-based unions was hijacked by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Meanwhile, there appears to be internal wrangling and suspicion between the non teaching staff under the umbrella of Joint Action Committee (JAC), and ASUU, as it was gathered that the two groups are working at different directions over Earned Allowances.
It would be recalled that as a result of the strike embarked upon by the four university based unions over the non-implementation of agreements entered into with the Federal Government especially on Earned Allowances, ASUU which had the upper hand in the committee set up by the government went home with about N18billion, leaving the balance of about N4billion to the three unions.
As institutions in the country are expected to resume academic activities today, the JAC of universities non-teaching staff has said that there will be no work for members until the Federal Government implements its own part of bargain in the terms of settlement reached, recently.
Speaking to newsmen, the Chairman of JAC, and National President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Comrade Samson Ugwoke said that there was no going back on the strike till the Federal Government honours the terms of settlement entered into with the JAC.
Ugwoke said, “The situation is that JAC is not resuming work at all, no work for today. As far as JAC is concerned, the strike continues and any university that is putting up programme is wasting its time because we are going to tighten up situation.
“JAC has already ruled that there will be no going back until government does what is needful and government knows that.”
On whether the Federal Government has made any effort to negotiate with the affected three unions, Ugwoke said, “We are expecting the Federal Government to call for a meeting but NAC of SSANU is holding an emergency meeting by Tuesday somewhere in the country, and we are surely going to take further steps to ensure strict compliance to total and comprehensive strike.
“JAC is also to meet anytime from now to ensure compliance. So, there is concession at all.”
He explained that there was a meeting between the JAC and Federal Government representatives on 19th December, 2017, and that the representatives of government expressed regrets in what happened, especially the sharing formula of the N23billion in which the three non-teaching unions were given a paltry sum of about N4billion, while the rest went to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).