The Academic Staff Union of Universities has called on the Federal Government to remove universities from the list of agencies expected to remit 40 percent of their Internally Generated Revenue.
ASUU emphasized that universities are not revenue-generating agencies but rather institutions dedicated to providing quality education to students.
In a statement issued on Tuesday after its National Executive Council meeting, ASUU explained that obliging universities to remit 40 percent of their IGR would further impoverish the already struggling university system.
The union stressed that universities are not profit-making entities and that the fees paid by students are intended to cover the costs of providing them with adequate educational resources.
“NEC reviewed the implications of the recent directive to federal universities to remit 40 per cent of their Internally Generated Funds to the coffers of the government. NEC condemns the directive in its entirety because it would further impoverish and emasculate the Nigerian university system.
“For the avoidance of doubt, universities are not revenue-generating agencies because the obligatory fees paid by students are to provide the necessary tools for them to be properly educated. NEC calls on the relevant institutions of state to remove universities from this category of government Ministries, Departments and Agencies regarded as revenue generating centres because of its implications for affordability and accessibility of education in the country,” the statement partly read.
ASUU also criticized the Accountant General’s office for its refusal to pay the promotion arrears of its members since 2018.
The union described this as a deliberate attempt to further impoverish its members and called on the government to release all withheld salaries as a sign of its commitment to resolving outstanding issues with the union.
“NEC noted with grave concern the deliberate attempt by the Accountant General’s office to further impoverish our members by the refusal to pay their promotion arrears of majority since 2018.
“NEC also reviewed the unsatisfactory reports on payment of the withheld eight months’ salaries by the government on account of the patriotic strike action of our members in 2022. NEC calls on the Federal Government to unconditionally release all the withheld salaries as a demonstration of the new administration’s desire to permanently resolve all outstanding issues related to the last strike action of our union,” the statement further stated.
Additionally, ASUU expressed concern about the continued victimization of its members at various universities, including the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, Kogi State University, Anyigba, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, and Lagos State University, Ojo.
The union urged the concerned authorities to respect the fundamental human rights of ASUU members, including their right to dignity and freedom of association.
