Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ibadan (UI) chapter, Dr Segun Ajiboye, has described the payment of lecturers’ five-month salary arrears by the Federal Government as encouraging.
Ajiboye said in Ibadan that the federal government had with this started implementing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) reached with the union.
“It is encouraging that the salary arrears have been paid to members, and I believe this cuts across board.
“Right now, members are ready to go back to work. We however expect government to be sincere in fulfilling other aspects of the MOU,’’ he said.
Ajiboye expressed optimistic that government would not go back on the agreement.
Meanwhile, ASUU President, Dr Nasir Fagge, has said the union would consolidate on the gains of its 2013 struggles in 2014.
This is contained in a statement signed by Fagge on Thursday in Abuja.
Fagge noted that 2013 was a year of struggle to salvage the Nigerian education system from the “jugular grip of Bretton-Woods Institutions”.
He said a significant increase in budgetary allocation to the education sector would be pursued in 2014 to achieve UNESCO’s 26 per cent recommendation.
The ASUU president said that the union would also follow-up on its agreement with the government concerning the welfare of lecturers to ensure implementation and industrial harmony.
According to him, the union will convene a National Summit on Education to X-ray the problems of the sector and proffer solutions.
“There will be a general improvement in the quality and access to education at all levels for the Nigerian citizens.
“2014 is the year in which, if we all do our bit as required, a foundation to genuine national development will be laid through the production of quality manpower at all levels for our dear country,” he said.
