ASUU urges FG to exempt universities from TSA

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on the Federal Government to exempt federal universities from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy.
Dr Nasir Isa, President of ASUU made the call at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja.
Isa said TSA had made it difficult for the universities to discharge their duties, especially in research.
“ The practice will cause shortfalls in personnel costs and ASUU will be compelled to take appropriate steps against it if this is not checked on time.
“TSA is incompatible with the autonomy of universities and our union calls on FG to exempt it from implementation on account of peculiarities of the institutions.
According to him, federal universities experienced shortfalls in personnel cost in December 2015 and January 2016.
He said the adoption of the TSA was hindering payment of salaries.
“The TSA adopted by the Federal Government, ostensibly to ensure transparency and avoid misapplication of public funds has constituted a clog in the wheel of progress of federal universities in Nigeria.
“With the operation of TSA, federal universities find it difficult to discharge their core responsibilities of teaching, research and community services,’’ Isa said.
He also said it was hindering international academic networking due to inadequate access to budgeted funds.