The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has refuted the Federal Government’s (FG) assertion that N50 billion has been allocated to settle outstanding earned academic allowances for university lecturers.
During an interview with SaharaReporters on Wednesday, ASUU National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, questioned the validity of the claim, stating that the union has not been provided with any proof of payment.
“You said that the government released the N50 billion to ASUU, but why are you bringing other staff? Every union negotiates for its members. It is not a collective,” Osodeke questioned, noting that ASUU has only received verbal information and has yet to see any documentation or bank transfers confirming the release of funds.
“We are aware of the announcement, but until we see evidence, we won’t believe them,” he added. “We only agreed verbally. We have not seen the money.”
The FG’s Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, previously proclaimed in a press release that the funds had been distributed to both academic and non-academic staff at federal universities.
The press release, signed by Folasade Boriowo, Director of Press at the Ministry, indicated that the disbursement was part of President Bola Tinubu’s strategy to revitalize the education sector.
The Ministry explained that the N50 billion release is aimed at reinforcing the government’s commitment to enhancing educational infrastructure and human capital.
While the government hailed the move as a step toward ending frequent strikes and maintaining the current uninterrupted academic session, ASUU insists that it will only be convinced when the funds are actually received.
