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Reps to push provision of N170bn in 2023 budget for ASUU

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The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, said on Monday the lawmakers are pushing for the provision of N170 billion in the 2023 budget for the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The speaker, who stated this in a statement in Abuja, added that the move was aimed at improving the welfare of the university lecturers.

He revealed that the House and other stakeholders in the education sector are working together in a bid to address raised by ASUU.

The speaker said President Muhammadu Buhari had also promised to look into issues raised by the union.

He stressed that the “no work no pay” policy adopted by the Federal Government during the strike was premised on the law.

The varsity lecturers who ended the eight-month strike o October 14 had expressed disappointment at the government’s decision to pay them half-salary for last month.

READ ALSO: ASUU: Paying lecturers half salaries unlawful, SERAP tells Buhari

Gbajabiamila said: “We are currently working on the 2023 Appropriations Bill, which includes the sum of one hundred and seventy billion naira (N170,000,000,000.00) to provide a level of increment in the welfare package of university lecturers.

“The Bill also includes an additional three hundred billion naira (N300,000,000,000.00) in revitalization funds to improve the infrastructure and operations of federal universities.

“On the lecturers’ salaries, interventions have been made to explore the possibility of partial payments to the lecturers. We look forward to a favourable consideration by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR who has manifested his desire to what is prudent and necessary to resolve all outstanding issues.

“Implementing meaningful change takes time, especially when appropriations and modifications to systems such as IPPIS are required.

“Therefore, I urge all parties to be patient and grant each other the presumption of goodwill to the extent necessary to achieve our shared objectives. This is not a time for political brinkmanship.”

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