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ASUU: Gbajabiamila Says Appropriation of N200bn in 2023 Budget ‘ll Resolve University Disruptions

By Mohammed Mohammed

The Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila on Monday said, the appropriation of N200 billion in the 2023 budget will put to rest the associated crisis that has rocked the nation’s University system.

In a statement signed by the Speaker, he said: We are currently

working on the 2023 Appropriations Bill, which includes the sum of one hundred and seventy billion naira (N170,000,000,000.00) to provide a level of increment in the welfare package of University lecturers.” 

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The Bill, he added includes additional three hundred billion naira (N300,000,000,000.00) in revitalisation funds to improve the

infrastructure and operations of federal universities.

“When ASUU called off

their industrial action three weeks ago, it meant that academic

activities could resume in our nation’s public universities, and

students could return to their academic pursuits after the prolonged interruption. This decision was rightly heralded nationwide as the correct decision.

“Since then, the Executive and the House of Representatives have

worked to address the issues that led to the strike.” He said.

According to him, the House has convened the

Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), ASUU and other stakeholders to facilitate the adoption of elements of the University transparency and

Accountability Solution (UTAS) into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

He reiterated that this effort is being supervised by the Chairman of the House Committee on Tertiary Education, Mr. Aminu Suleiman.

He said: “The Executive position that it is not obligated to pay salaries to

lecturers for the time spent on strike is premised on the law and the government’s legitimate interest in preventing moral hazard and discouraging disruptive industrial actions.

“Nonetheless, interventions have been made to explore the possibility of partial payments to the lecturers. We look forward to a favourable consideration by President Buhari, who has manifested his desire to what is prudent and

necessary to resolve all outstanding issues.

“Implementing meaningful change takes time, especially when

appropriations and modifications to systems such as IPPIS are required.

“I urge all parties to be patient and grant each other the presumption of goodwill to the extent necessary to achieve our shared objectives.”

While dismissing the time as political brinkmanship, he stressed that there is no more pressing objective than to preclude the possibility of further disruptions to the academic

calendar of the universities.

“We must prevent this possibility by all

means, as these disruptions risk the promise and potential of our

nation’s youth.” He said.

He recalled that 3 weeks ago, he called for a national conversation on the substantive reforms required to address the underlying issues

bedevilling public tertiary education in Nigeria, adding that the House will soon convene another national summit on tertiary education regorm.

Signed: REP. FEMI GBAJABIAMILA

Speaker, House of Representatives

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