ASUU Set to Monitor N25b Funds to be Released to Public Universities

ASUU president, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi says he'll be a member of the committee that will monitor the disbursement of the funds. The National President of the Academic Staff Union, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi has said that a committee will be set up by the union to monitor the disbursement of the N25bn promised by the Federal Government to release for public universities in April. 

Ogunyemi said this in an Interview with Punch following the suspension of the latest ASUU strike which lasted for three months.

The union president said he and a former ASUU president, Dr Nasir Fagge, were members of an implementation committee which would disburse the funds to the universities. 

According to Punch, Ogunyemi said the union believed that the government would be truthful in the disbursement of the funds for the revitalization of public universities in accordance with the recommendation of the NEEDS assessment report, warning that if the government failed “to fulfil its obligation, the struggle continues.” 

He said in a statement, “There is an implementation committee of the Federal Government, which also includes two ASUU executive members – I and a former national president. The implementation committee will disburse and monitor the N25bn which will be released to the public universities.

He further stated “That will happen by April/May 2019 when the government releases the funds. We believe that the government will be truthful to the 2019 MoA.” When asked what would happen if the government fails to release the funds by April, Ogunyemi said, “We will cross the bridge when we get there.”

The disbursement of N25bn for the revitalization of public universities is the first point in the new Memorandum of Action 2019 signed between the union and the Federal Government on Thursday, February 7, 2019, as part of the condition for the suspension of ASUU strike.