Academic activities in public universities in the country is once again facing a serious threat, following the alleged Federal Government plan to release N50 billion Earned Allowances to the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.

Already the National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, has written to the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, to put a hold on the release of the N50 billion Earned Allowances, pending when a meeting of the leadership of the four University-based unions? and the Minister would meet to draw up modalities for its fair and equitable distribution.

NAAT said anything contrary to the above, may not guarantee industrial peace on our campuses.

The association in a statement issued in Abuja after its National Executive Council, NEC, meeting, which was signed by the President, Comrade Ibeji Nwokoma, drew the attention of the Minister of Education to a statement he made that the N50 billion contained in the 2025 budget proposal was meant for payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA).

Recall that any Earned Academic Allowances go to the teaching staff, ASUU, while Earned Allowances involve the non-teaching staff, comprising NAAT, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU.

But the statement issued by NAAT partly read: ?The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) held her 58th regular National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on 9th and 10th of April, 2025 and deliberated on National issues and those that have to do with the welfare of her members.

?In the course of the meeting, the attention of NEC-in-Session was drawn to a letter written and signed by Mr. Abel Enitan, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education (FME), Abuja.

?In the said letter addressed to the National President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) captioned ?Outcome of the meeting of the Honourable Minister of Education with the Technical Committee on the Non-regular Earned Allowances? dated 4th April 2025 informing the Union that;

N50 Billion for the payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) for University Staff should be released for payment in the next one week;

?The N150 Billion Revitalization funds of NEEDS Assessment is still being discussed with the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy; and

?The Chairman of the Re-negotiation Committee of the 2009 Agreement, Dr. Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, has submitted the Committee?s report which is being reviewed. The Ministry will announce its official position upon completion of the review

?NEC-in-Session seriously frowned at this selective and discriminatory action of the Federal Government through FME and viewed it as a threat to industrial harmony being enjoyed in our Campuses.?

NAAT explained that earlier before the letter was written to ASUU President, a meeting of the Implementation Monitoring Committee where the leadership of all the four University based unions were present with the Minister of Education on Thursday 23rd January, 2025.

It said: ?The attention of the Honourable Minister was drawn to a statement he made that the N50 Billion contained in the 2025 budget proposal was meant for payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA).

?This misinformation was immediately corrected during the meeting by the President of NAAT, and supported by other leaders present that the money was meant for payment of Earned Allowances (EA) & EAA and not EAA only as stated by the Honourable Minister.

?It may interest you to note that, the Honourable Minister apologized for the misrepresentation of facts as contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by NAAT and the Federal Government of Nigeria ably represented by the then Honourable Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu and the then Permanent Secretary, Mr. Adejoh on 17th August, 2022 and promised to correct it.

?On the third item on the letter, NAAT is worried that the Re-negotiation Committee had submitted report which is being reviewed by the Ministry. As far as NAAT is concerned, only the inaugural meeting with the Committee was held.

?One will wonder what re-negotiation document the Committee submitted to the Ministry.?

Continuing, it said: ?Consequent upon the above, NEC-in-Session demands an immediate withdrawal of the said letter written to ASUU President to douse the tension in the nation?s University Campuses.

?NEC-in-Session further demands that before the N50 Billion is released, a meeting of the Unions? leadership and the Minister of Education be convened to draw up modalities for fair and equitable distribution.

?Anything contrary to the above, the union may not guarantee industrial peace on our campuses. NAAT also calls on Dr. Mahmud Yayale Ahmed Committee to as a matter of urgency reconvene the FGN/ NAAT Re-negotiation meeting for timely conclusion of the exercise.

?The NEC-in-session was also worried on the non-inclusivity of the mainstreaming of the Earned Allowances due to our members in the 2009 FGN/NAAT Agreement and therefore, demands for a convening of the Technical Committee meeting with a view to mainstream the allowances as appropriate.

?NAAT enjoins our Traditional and Religious leaders, members of the National Assembly, leadership of the Students? Union, Security Agencies, particularly DSS to take note and intervene.? (Vanguard)

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