From: Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Tuesday, rated the two years administration of President Muhammadu Buhari low in public-funded education, especially tertiary institutions.
ASUU chairman in the University of Ibadan, Dr. Deji Omole, argued that the administration has not been funding Nigerian universities as prescribed by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
He lamented that it would be difficult for any Nigerian university to compete globally with the purported attitude of Buhari not to allocate enough budgetary allocation to universities.
Omole, who stated this in a press release, took a swipe at the Buhari administration for allegedly defrauding the people during 2015 presidential campaign, where he was alleged to have promised to fund public education with a minimum of 15 per cent of the budget, noting that budgetary allocation to education nosedived further under Buhari.
“On education; the govt has performed poorly as the budgetary allocation to education suffered a serious decline as against what the APC government promised. The government promised minimum of 15 per cent but instead of moving towards that we are actually moving backward,” he said.
Omole contended that public education is poorly funded because the rich do not have their children schooling in Nigeria.
He also criticised Buhari poorly equipping Health Institutions in Nigeria, the ASUU boss stated that many poor Nigerians have died of the same disease that has made the president to run to the United Kingdom.
He wondered why it has been difficult to build a world class health facility in Nigeria for all Nigerians to have access to recalling that the National Leader of APC, Bola Tinubu, also ran out of Nigeria when he fell ill to be treated despite being in government for eight years in Lagos and controlling more states in Southwest.
Omole further stated that university workers have expressed terrible moments under Buhari with payment of fractional and amputated salaries, non-release of revitilisation grants in line with FGN/ASUU agreements and 2013 Memorandum of Understanding, and non-payment of earned academic earned allowances.
“Fractional salaries are paid to workers even though the cost of living is now more than triple. Non release of revitalization grant in line with ASUU/FGN agreement and MOUs , non payment of earned academic allowances .
“In fact no Nigerian university will be able to compete effectively with other universities abroad with the attitude of this government towards public funded education,” Omole said.