The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has refuted claims by the federal government that it has released ₦50 billion to settle long-standing earned academic allowances owed to university lecturers.
Speaking in an interview with SaharaReporters on Wednesday, ASUU National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, said the union had yet to see any concrete evidence of the payment, describing the government’s announcement as unsubstantiated and lacking transparency.
“You say ₦50 billion was released to ASUU, but why include other unions? Every union negotiates separately for its members—it is not a collective pool,” Osodeke questioned.
He emphasized that ASUU had only received verbal assurances and had not been presented with any official documentation or evidence of fund disbursement. “We have only heard about it; until we see proof—bank transfers or receipts—we cannot accept it as fact,” he stated.
The federal government had earlier announced the disbursement through the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, in a statement titled “FG Releases ₦50bn Earned Allowances to Varsity Unions, Tinubu Reaffirms Education Priority.” The statement, signed by the Ministry’s Director of Press, Folasade Boriowo, positioned the release as part of President Bola Tinubu’s broader commitment to revitalizing Nigeria’s education sector.
“This intervention is not just a financial transaction—it is a reaffirmation of our President’s belief in the capacity of Nigerian youth and the invaluable role that academic and non-academic staff play in nurturing them,” the ministry stated.
The federal government also highlighted what it described as one of the longest periods of uninterrupted academic activity in Nigeria’s recent history, attributing the stability to mutual understanding between the government and university staff unions.
However, ASUU has remained cautious, stating that until verifiable disbursement records are provided, it will not recognize the announcement as a genuine fulfillment of past agreements.
