FG Approves N400bn for Universities

The federal government of Nigeria, as part of it's efforts in improving infrastructural development  in the nation's universities, has set aside a sum of N400 billion to be expended on 61 public universities within a period of four years.

Representatives of university unions including Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will be handed a document to this effect later today.

 This will be  at the meeting of the Presidential Committee on the Implementation of the NEEDS Assessment. As the Vanuard reports, the money will be used for the re-furbishing and renovation of lecture theatres and lecture halls, re-furbishing and renovation of laboratory/library and the renovation of hostels. New hostels of international standard, self-contain rooms, the latest model in the world and state-of-the-art laboratories will also be constructed.

"The committee is meeting again on Monday (today), when the document will be out. This time around, it is not only by giving university money, but it will be closely monitored by government to ensure that the money is used to transform the universities, to bail universities out of the present situation and develop them to an international recognized university standard,” SSANU President, Samson Ugwoke stated.

About the lay-off of members of the union "We have three presidents against one in that committee and we are doing our networking. Unless they want to close the universities, they dare not try to retrench or touch our members. because when we go on strike, it will be mother of all strikes, they know that. Not even vice-chancellors will cross the gate of the universities.”