ASUU Still Await FG’s Release Of N40b Earned Allowance As Promised

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Tuesday said the union still awaits the N40 billion earned allowance the Federal Government promised to release 12 days after it called off the protracted nine-month strike.

The Union leadership also said the Federal Government has failed to continue the payment of the withheld salaries of its members that are not enrolled on the controversial Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) after paying two months in December.

AllNews reports that ASUU called off its strike on December 23, 2020, after reaching a new deal with the federal government team, led by Labour and Employment Minister Chris Ngige, on December 22.

This online news platform understands that the federal government paid two months of the six months withheld salaries of ASUU members, since March last year, leaving four months arrears.

According to the Memorandum of Action signed between the government and ASUU leadership at the meeting on December 22, the Federal Government agreed to release N40 billion to ASUU as earned allowance on or before December 31, 2020.

The government, through the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, was also supposed to continue the payment of the withheld salaries of the union members after Ngige got a special waiver from President Muhammadu Buhari to that effect.

READ ALSO: ASUU Strike: Union May Resume Strike In February - ASUU President

Surprisingly, ASUU on Monday said that the government had missed two timelines on December 22, 2020, MoA with the failure to pay the N40 billion EAA and another tranche of the withheld four months salaries.

“Some timelines have been missed already. EAA was supposed to be paid on or before December 31, 2020. It was not paid.

“Another two months (withheld salary) was supposed to be paid with the December salary. The December salary has been paid to others but academic workers who are not registered on IPPIS have not received anything,” a union Chieftain said.