In view of the lack of clarity pertaining non provision of funds to federal universities in the country, President Muhammadu Buhari has said the government has paid the funds of earned allowances and revitalisation to its universities, contrary to the claims of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
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The president made this known at the fifth and sixth combined convocation ceremonies of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State, on Saturday.
Recall that ASUU has been criticising the government for not honouring the details of the 2009 agreement the duo signed, with earned allowances and revitalisation funds being the major issues.
But the President, who was represented by a Director in the National Universities Commission, John Ahmadu, identified funding as a major problem confronting the Nigerian university system.
He, however, said his administration had “consistently paid serious attention to the issue of university funding”.
He said: “Through multiple sources, including education budgets across various Ministries, Departments and Agencies, but most importantly through the Federal Ministry of Education as well as the Tertiary Education Trust Fund. As a government, we will not relent on this commitment.
“We will continue to support the university system through improved funding and infrastructural development. In this regard, my government has repositioned the TETFUND to be able to address the infrastructural gaps in our tertiary institutions.
“As an evidence of our commitment to the welfare of university staff, the Federal Government recently released funds for the payment of Earned Allowances as well as the revitilisation of universities. We will continue to do more within available resources considering other competing national needs.”
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