the needs assessment report in Nigerian universities yesterday
reached an agreement with representatives of the striking
members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on
the vexed issue of decaying infrastructure in Nigerian
universities following the adoption of a report by the
committee's technical committee.
The committee, chaired by Benue State Governor, Dr Gabriel
Suswam, which rose from a long meeting at the Benue
Governor�s Lodge Asokoro, Abuja, last night, announced to
newsmen that the federal government had reached agreement
with ASUU to deploy N100 billion for the provision of
infrastructure on the campuses of 61 universities covered in the
needs assessment report earlier carried out by a committee of
the federal government.
Based on the agreement, therefore, the only matter in contention
is the issue of the earned allowances which Suswam gave
assurances that the matter, too, would be dealt with on Monday
since the federal government had made substantial offers to the
striking lecturers.
The technical committee, chaired by Dr Banfa, a nominee of
ASUU, had proposed in its report that the N100billion be shared
among all the 61 federal and state universities in the country for
intervention in the areas of the rehabilitation and construction of
lecture halls, renovation and construction of libraries and
laboratories, and rehabilitation and construction of hostels.
Banfa said the 61 universities were categorized into four based
on the size of student enrolment, noting that the categories
depended on the university with 30,000 students and above,
20,000 students and above, 15,000 students and above, and
10,000 students and above respectively.
Each of the universities would then be given its share of the fund
to apply in the projects already identified in the needs
assessment report for immediate implementation.
In adopting the report, Suswam said everything would be done
to avoid bureaucracy in the award of contracts for the identified
projects so that the campuses would immediately witness a new
lease of life with the coming on stream of the new projects.
The governor disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan had
agreed to flag off the construction of infrastructural projects
under the N100billion stimulus package in a university to be
selected, to symbolize the commencement of construction work
in all the universities. He said the new projects to be undertaken
would be standardized such that all the Universities will enjoy
similar facilities in terms of the new projects.
�I am confident that, very soon, the students will resume. As a
leader in this country, I am worried about the strike. Mr
President is absolutely worried and everybody is concerned that
the students should not stay at home more than necessary,�
he stressed.
The implementation committee meeting was attended by the
ministers of Education, Labour and Productivity, and other
education funding agencies of the federal government, including
the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC), Petroleum Technology Development Fund
(PTDF), NITDA, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC),
and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) among others as
well as the president of ASUU.
more gist at www.cheatloaded.com
| Posted: at | |
winace
TRENDING GISTS 
25-year-old Man Expects First Child With His 63-year-old Wife, Shares Ultrasound Online (Video)
Woman, Abike Olonade Arrested For Alleged Trafficking Of 16-Yr-Old Student To Libya
Former Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung Recounts Near-Death Experience Over N80,000 Hospital Deposit
Controversy Brews As Venita Akpofure Wins Best Dressed Female At AMVCA Cultural Day (Photos)