Govt alone cannot fund education – Ngige replies ASUU

 

Nigeria’s Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, says government alone cannot fund education.

Ngige’s assertion is coming a day after the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) gave the Federal Government of Nigeria three weeks ultimatum to fulfil agreement reached with it or face another round of nationwide strike.

The minister spoke on Tuesday when he made an appearance on Channels TV’s Politics Today while responding to questions about the looming industrial action by the ASUU.

“The state of education here is not anything to cheer about, I agree. The standard has fallen, I agree. But education cannot be funded by government alone,” the minister said.

“I know that because I schooled here in Nigeria. I did my primary education, secondary and university here and I did my post-graduate outside the country. But I can tell you, in other climes education is not only done by government”.

RELIABLESOURCENG.COM reports that ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, had on Monday issued a three-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to address all issues in the December 2020 Agreement.

READ: ASUU gives FG three weeks strike notice

READ: ASUU not asking for impossible – Ngige

He warned that should the government fail to implement the Memorandum of Action signed with ASUU prior to the suspension of the last industrial action, the union would be compelled to embark on another nationwide strike.

Some of the issues include unpaid allowances as well as the universities revitalisation fund.

But Ngige maintained that he has continued to do everything within his power to meet their demands.

“As Minister of Labour, I have even crossed my own territory. I have done extra-territorial jobs to make sure that we satisfy their members,” he said.

“They know I’m doing my best for them. I am the one talking to finance, education and the NUC,” he said.