News: FG Gives Proof of N200 Billion Varsity Fund Payment

The presidency, on Wednesday, confirmed the opening of a “revitalisation of universities structural account” with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

It also insisted that members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have no more reason to continue their ongoing strike and, therefore, enjoined them to call it off, as there would be “no victor, no vanquished.”

Addressing a press conference in his office in Abuja, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe, gave a step-by- step account of how the account was opened.

The leadership of ASUU had claimed that it was not aware that such account had been opened with the apex bank, necessitating the explanation by the presidential aide.

Okupe, who showed proof of the account to reporters, said “it has become necessary for us to show proof to the Nigerian public, confirming our earlier statement that following the presidential intervention on the ongoing strike by university lecturers, President Goodluck Jonathan gave the required instructions to ensure the fulfillment of what was agreed with ASUU.

“On the 13th of November 2013, the office of the Accountant General of the Federation authorised the banking and payment system department of the CBN, via a letter with reference number FD/ OAGF/220/ADC/1/4DF, to open a “revitalisation of universities infrastructural account” with the apex bank.

“On the 29th of November, 2013, the CBN confirmed, in a letter reference BPSD/BSD/ CON VOL 17/088, to the Accountant General of the Federation that the said account had been opened and an account number was given.

“Prior to all these, the Director of Funds in the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, M. K Dikwa, through a letter with reference number FD/LP2008/37/ C/I/DF, dated November 8, 2013, communicated with the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Universities Commission (NUC), requesting for the list of federal universities in Nigeria, for the purpose of opening a special account for them.

“On the 12th of November, 2013, the NUC, through the office of the Executive Secretary, Professor Julius Okojie, in a letter with reference number NUC/FS/444/ VOL15/280, responded to the request and gave the list of the universities with their various account numbers domiciled with the CBN.

“Following this, the Accountant General of the Federation has communicated with the Executive Secretary of NUC, requesting for the details of amount payable to each of the listed universities, which is currently being processed by the NUC.

“I state categorically that I have personally seen the balance in the account as of today and confirm that it contains the requisite amount and disbursement will commence as soon as ongoing administrative processes are sorted out.

“We want to re-affirm that the president and this administration have no credibility issues whatsoever. Mr President has always honored his words and obligations to the Nigerian people as and at when due.

“Finally, given due considerations to the four items mentioned by ASUU as preconditions to the calling off of the strike, we state categorically that none of them remain substantially pending or weighty enough to justify the continuation of the strike.

‘Therefore, there are no further legitimate reasons for the strike by university teachers to continue a day any longer. We, therefore, call on Dr Nasir Fagge, his distinguished colleagues in the ASUU leadership, as well as other patriotic members of their union to put all else aside and call off this strike in the interest of our young men and women who have been kept out of school for five months and who have no recourse to any form of compensation whatsoever.

“Having come this far, we believe it is time we all come together once again as major stakeholders in the affairs of the country and the educational sector in particular, to move on and begin to chart a new course for advancing the sector and improving the standard of our institutions for higher learning.

‘There are no victor or vanquished in this protracted disagreement.”

FG not transparent - ATBU ASUU
Chairman of the Abubakar Tafawa  Balewa University (ATBU) branch of ASUU, Dr Lawan Abubakar, has declared that the Federal Government is not transparent in the lodgement of N200 billion meant for the renewal of infrastructure in the country’s universities in CBN.

Dr Abubakar, made this known in an interview in with journalists in Bauchi, on Wednesday, saying that ASUU had no evidence that the said amount had been deposited into any account with the apex bank.

According to the chairman, the union only heard in the news like every other Nigerians that the amount had been deposited into the account, declaring that ASUU could not trust the Federal Government on the issue, as there was no tangible evidence showing that such deposit was, indeed, made.

“It came to the hearing of the union that Okupe said the Federal Government has made a deposit of N200 billion into an account in the CBN, but such an action was not officially communicated to the union, hence, there is no proof that the government made such a payment,” Dr Abubakar stated.

He added that Dr Okupe himself was not sure if such deposit was made with the CBN, as he only quoted the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, submitting that if the Federal Government had, indeed, made such deposit, it should have communicated same to the union immediately.

“We also heard that Okupe only confirmed the payment of the money from the Minister of Finance, which dearly indicates that he is not even sure that such a payment has been made.

“If really the government is sincere in this matter, it should officially communicate the announcement of such a payment through the CBN governor and not hearsay,” he said.

He, however, lamented that government was not truly serious about resolving current crisis in the country’s education sector, noting that the Federal Government had not shown enough commitment and was still dragging its feet in addressing the rot in the Nigerian universities.

Commenting on the extension of the ultimatum given to the striking lecturers to return to class or face sack; Dr Abubakar declared that the union remained unperturbed by government’s antics, stating that the lecturers were not ready to call off the five- month-old strike when issues leading to the strike remained unsolved.

Academic activities resume in UNIPORT Dec 9 - PRO
The University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) has reopened and will resume academic activities on December 9.

The university’s spokesman, Dr Williams Wodi, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.

Wodi said the directive was in compliance with that of the committee of pro-chancellors, which was endorsed by the university’s Senate during its emergency meeting on Tuesday.

‘The Committee of pro-chancellors met and directed vice chancellors to reopen their universities. Our Senate approved the directive and we have complied.

“We didn’t call off the ASUU strike, rather, we reopened the University for Academic Activities and lecturers who return to classes will get their full entitlements.

“Some lecturers, irrespective of the ASUU stance, have indicated interest to resume work and so, we are not saying that every lecturer must return to class,” he said.

Wodi noted that on many occasions, students had called for a resumption of academic activities, even as the ASUU leadership continued its negotiations with the Federal Government.

However, a source, who craved anonymity, said the move to reopen the University for Academic Activities was partly due to the rising public opinion, which queried the rationale behind the prolonged strike.

UI lecturers hold procession for Iyayi
The University of Ibadan (UI) branch of ASUU, on Wednesday, held a candle light procession in honour of former president of the union, Professor Festus Iyayi, who died in an accident in November.

The lecturers, led by the vice chancellor of the institution, Professor Isaac Adewole, with some other principal officers, commenced the procession at the ASUU secretariat in Mellanby Hall of the institution and marched to the Faculty of Arts, enroute Kenneth Dike Road, chanting solidarity songs solemnly.

Addressing the ASUU members and other sym-papathisers at the Faculty of Arts quadrangle, Professor Adewole said the dreams of Professor Iyayi should be made to come true.

He saluted the courage and the resilient of late don, who was described as a gentleman and one committed to the development of education in Nigeria.

In his tribute, another former president of ASUU, Professor Sola Ohikunle, described the late Iyayi as a man of peace, whose peace mission was based on reasonable principles.

He said it would be a great disservice if the current struggle was subdued and disallowed to reach logical conclusion, as intended by the late ASUU leader.

Various speakers, including the Dean of Faculty of Arts, Professor Remi Raji; Dr Femi Abonsade, Professor Francis Egbokhare and Professor, John Anetor, eulogised the late ASUU leader, as they described him as on who died while pursuing a goal he believed in.

They described Iyayi’s death as unfortunate, needless and unnecessary, lamenting that if the government had honoured the agreement, his death would have been avoided.

ASUU chairman, UI branch, Dr Segun Ajiboye, said the procession, as organised by ASUU was not to mourn Iyayi, but to mobilise members towards pursuing the struggle to a logical conclusion.

Source: Tribune