The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA) have commended the Federal Government for cancelling the deduction of 40 per cent from the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Federal universities.
In separate chats with The Guardian, both unions applauded President Bola Tinubu for toeing the path of peace.
The ASUU Chairman, Nasarawa State University, Keffi chapter, Prof. Samuel Alu, described it as “one of the best decisions taken by this administration in recent times”.
Alu, therefore, asked the government to revisit the Nimi Briggs committee recommendations of the ASUU-FGN renegotiation.
“There shouldn’t be any shame in retraction if you have a superior argument over any matter. This is commendable and should be sustained”, he said.
On his part, CONUA National President, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, called on the Federal Government to pay the eight-month withheld salaries of members, even as he described the news as a ‘welcome development’.
Sunmonu said that the decision would have had an adverse effect on the ivory tower had it been implemented.
The academic tasked the FG to explore ingenious ways of improving funding in the universities for the overall benefit of the nation rather than dipping its hands into the coffers of tertiary institutions.
He said: “It appeared the various negative reactions that greeted the announcement of the policy were not lost on the president. The FG should know that our universities are struggling to cope in the face of dwindling resources and will eventually have a negative impact on the growth of the nation.
“So, CONUA is of the opinion that the government should not stop at this cancellation, but must effect ingenious ways of improving funding in the universities for the overall benefit of the nation”.
President Tinubu, had through his Education Minister, Prof. Tahir Mamman, announced the cancellation of the planned 40 per cent deduction at the Founder’s Day ceremony of the University of Ibadan (UI).
