ASUU Condemns TSA, Threatens Showdown With FG

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) from various zones of the country yesterday are threatening strike, saying the union will engage the Federal Government in a face off over inclusion of universities in the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy. The union is also not happy over the non-payment of an outstanding arrears of over N495 billion. Speaking at a news conference in Calabar yesterday, Chairman of the UNICAL branch of ASUU, Dr. Tony Eyang, said the union can no longer guarantee safety on campuses as a result of huge cloud of uncertainties hanging over the system. The zone comprises ASUU members from the University of Calabar, University of Uyo, Cross River University of Technology, Akwa Ibom State University, Abia State University and Ebonyi State University. On his part, the coordinator of the union in Benin zone, Anthony I. Monye-Emina, said the TSA policy negates the principle of autonomy as contained in the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement. He said with this TSA, promotions have become national and seemingly subject to the approval of TSA regulators in Abuja. Also briefing newsmen yesterday, the zonal coordination of the union in Kano, Professor Mahmoud M. Lawan said three years into ASUU agreement with government, the union owes the federal government arrears of over N600billion universities revitalization funds and other Earned Academic Allowances (EAA). "Three years now and counting, the government had until today largely continued to ignore vital aspects of the agreement and failed to honor the key provisions of 2013 MOU." The coordinator further decried nonpayment of staff salaries by some state universities in spite of huge amount of money being expended by the states on projects saying "It is regrettable and sad to note that irregular payment of salaries has now become the norm in many state universities with a particular state university staff owing as much as 23months worth of wages over the past few years."