Council urges ASUU to end strike

Owerri - The Governing Council of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), has appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), to end their strike. Dr Emmanuel Enemuo, Pro Chancellor and Chairman of the council, made the appeal on Saturday at a news conference in Owerri. Enemuo noted that the Federal Government had demonstrated commitment to addressing the most contentious issues in the 2009 agreement. He explained that government had approved the payment of earned allowances and revitalisation of universities through adequate funding with the release of N130 billion. He said further that government also promised to pay any shortfalls after due verification by the councils of the various universities. Emeno said that the funds already released were sourced from different government agencies such as the Central bank, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the National Communications Commission (NCC). He stated that the government had promised to make provision for further intervention in the 2014 appropriation bill and urged ASUU to reciprocate the gesture by going back to classes. The pro-chancellor disclosed that the governing council of FUTO had decided to pay earned allowances to its deserving staff. He said a management committee had been constituted to determine the actual earned allowances to be paid to individual staff of the university. “The council, in consideration of the efforts and commitment of the Federal Government, hereby appeal to ASUU to call off the strike and resume work so that our children can return to school.” “ASUU should reciprocate the gesture of the federal government by ending this strike and return to the classrooms in the interest of our children and the university system,” he said.