A fresh industrial action may cripple academic activities in Nigeria’s public universities as the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, OAGF, and the Federal Ministry of Education clash over the release of a N300 billion University Revitalisation Fund.
A reliable source disclosed that despite agreements reached between the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, the Accountant General’s office insists on fresh presidential approval before disbursing the funds.
At a recent high-level meeting, ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, and other government officials discussed rolling over the N300 billion captured in the 2023 budget to 2024. The Minister of Education has already sent a formal request to the Accountant General, emphasising the urgency of the matter to prevent a nationwide university strike.
During the meeting, ASUU leaders voiced their frustration over the government’s continued failure to address key issues affecting public universities. They criticised the lack of political will to improve infrastructure, settle earned allowances, and fulfil past agreements, including the 2009 Needs Assessment, which promised an annual intervention of N220 billion.
ASUU made it clear that if the revitalisation fund is not released soon, it will mobilise its members for another round of industrial action. The union also warned that it might boycott further meetings with government representatives if previous commitments remain unfulfilled.
The Education Advancement Initiative, EAI, a non-governmental organisation, has called for the immediate release of N600 billion in revitalisation funds this year. The group argues that this sum, covering both the 2023 and 2025 budgets, is necessary to repair decaying university infrastructure and clear outstanding payments to university staff.
Dr. Abimbola Tobi, Director of Programs at EAI, accused government officials of deliberately stalling the release of funds to promote private universities in which they have vested interests. He warned that continued neglect of public universities could lead to increased crime rates, as many young Nigerians would be left without access to quality education.
Tobi urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene immediately by directing the Accountant General’s office to release the funds, stressing that the administration’s Student Loan Scheme would be ineffective if universities remain in a state of disrepair.
Sources within the Federal Ministry of Education indicate that officials are working behind the scenes to prevent ASUU from embarking on another strike under the Tinubu administration. However, obstacles from the OAGF continue to delay the process, creating uncertainty in the university system.
The ongoing delays have reignited concerns over the government’s commitment to revitalising public universities. With ASUU standing firm on its demands and advocacy groups adding pressure, the fate of Nigeria’s public universities hangs in the balance.
Reported by National Accord
