Education

Universities on verge of collapse over huge electricity bill – ASUU

Published

5 months ago

October 4, 2024

Universities on verge of collapse over huge electricity bill – ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned that most Nigerian universities are on the verge of shutting down over “unbearable cost of electricity”, saying the electricity bills of some universities run between N200m to N300m monthly.

President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, stated this on Thursday during the opening session of a two-day national conference convened by ASUU in Abuja with the theme: “Nigeria in a State of General Crisis: The Search for a New Path to Development.”

Osodeke said, while public universities receive N15m monthly from the federal government as running costs, the classification of electricity consumers into bands has increased the cost of most universities.

The university don argued that the rise in electricity cost was hampering the administration of most public universities in the country, adding that this has forced some universities to channel their internally generated revenue to the running of their operation.

“We are so challenged. But let me give you a quick example, the University of Lagos; University of Ibadan; Ahmadu Bello University, and the University of Nigeria, Nsuka. What they get from the government account for the overhead running of the university in a month is N15million.

“Meanwhile, the University of Lagos needs about N200 million naira to pay the electricity bill. It is this IGR that you talk about that is used to pay for the electricity. One of the universities today is closing down because they have been given an electricity bill of N300 million.

“What the government gives you to run the system is N15 million, and you get a bill for electricity alone of N300 million. Where is that money coming from? You have to run the laboratories. You have to run the diesel. You have to run the fuel for vehicles.

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“That is where the IGR is going today. Not being able to run the system, to buy books in the library, to run your library, to earn those things. They are all part of their so-called IGR, and that is what they talk about.

“But you know what? A government that will give just N15 million for UNILAG to run, will in turn, give one Senator N21 million a month. The government gives a system N15 million, but an individual gets N21 million. That’s where our priority is.

“For whatever reason, they have refused to fund the university systems as it was in the earlier part of our history. From the way we are going, if nothing is done, many universities will close up because they can not afford the so-called Band A and Band B,” Osodeke quipped.

Lamenting the dire situation of some academics in the country, the ASUU President said farming has become even more lucrative for lecturers, especially when a professor is left at the mercy of earning less than N300,000 per month and still has to cater for his family and publish journals.

Osodeke also criticised the proliferation of universities in the country, warning that they were merely running on skeletal manpower as most of the lecturing staff were out of the country searching for greener pastures.

He described the situation within the university system as very disturbing, stressing that most of their members are dropping dead.

On his part, the President of NLC accused the federal government of failing to fulfill all the agreements it entered with organized labour.

The NLC leader said the government has stopped the payment of the N35,000 wage award since February and has also failed to fulfill its promise to make the refineries work.

Ajaero urged all the university-based unions to come together and declare a day of national action to force the government to reposition the education sector.

Universities on verge of collapse over huge electricity bill – ASUU

Related Topics:ASUU electricity bill universities

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Education

Workers of Oyo tertiary institutions begin indefinite strike

Published

13 hours ago

March 10, 2025

Trends Admin

Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde

Workers of Oyo tertiary institutions begin indefinite strike

Workers at five Oyo State government-owned tertiary institutions have begun an indefinite strike.

The workers, in a statement on Monday, noted that strike action became necessary due to non-payment of minimum wage and unresolved salary disputes.

The institutions involved are The Polytechnic, Ibadan; The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki; Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa; Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora; and Oyo State College of Education, Lanlate.

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The Joint Action Committee (JAC) stated that the decision to embark on strike came after extensive discussions among the unions.

It added that the strike was a necessary measure to urge the state government to fulfil its obligations.

It said, “Declaration of Indefinite Strike by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Oyo State-Owned Tertiary Institutions

“The Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising 15 unions across the five state-owned tertiary institutions in Oyo State, hereby declares an indefinite strike action commencing on Monday, March 10, 2025.

“This decision was reached after extensive deliberations and consultations among the unions, following the inability of the management of the affected institutions to address the longstanding issues of non-implementation of the approved 25/35% salary increase being enjoyed by our colleagues in other institutions since January 2024 and the new minimum wage for workers in the Polytechnic and College of education sector.”

Workers of Oyo tertiary institutions begin indefinite strike

Education

Over two million candidates register for 2025 UTME, JAMB closes registration

Published

13 hours ago

March 10, 2025

Trends Admin

Over two million candidates register for 2025 UTME, JAMB closes registration

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has closed registration for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

A total of 2,030,627 candidates completed their registration, allowing them to participate in the UTME scheduled for April 25, 2025.

Recall that JAMB recently informed that the registration process, which began on February 3, 2025, would end on March 8, 2025, adding that unlike in the past, there would be no extension.

In its Monday weekly bulletin, JAMB revealed that with the closure of the UTME registration, preparations for the annual examination are now in full swing.

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This number excludes the candidates registered for examination at foreign centers.

Additionally, 200,115 candidates expressed interest in taking the optional mock UTME, which is set for April 5, 2025. Among these, 630 candidates have registered for the trial mock examination, which will also occur on the same date.

The bulletin read in part: “This year, the Board has implemented several innovative measures to deter cheating and maintain the integrity of the examination process.

“These measures have already led to multiple arrests of candidates attempting to use forged A-level results for admission, highlighting the effectiveness of the new system designed to detect such fraud.

“Candidates are strongly advised to adhere to the examination rules and regulations and refrain from any dishonest practices during the examination.“

Over two million candidates register for 2025 UTME, JAMB closes registration

Education

Varsity workers protest non-payment of salary increment arrears

Published

22 hours ago

March 10, 2025

Trends Admin

Varsity workers protest non-payment of salary increment arrears

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has raised concerns over salary discrepancies and delayed third-party deductions affecting staff across various universities and inter-university centres nationwide.

SSANU President, Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim, addressed the issue in a communiqué following the union’s 50th Regular National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Abuja. He highlighted the distress caused by inconsistent payments.

According to Ibrahim, “The union recorded cases of salary shortfalls and inconsistencies in the payment of third-party deductions of various universities and inter-university centres.”

He revealed that the situation worsened after some universities migrated to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) platform. “Further inquiries unearth that, on migration to the GIFMIS platform, some universities have started shortchanging their staff by paying incomplete salaries,” he stated.

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Ibrahim also criticized the withholding of third-party deductions, describing it as a “flagrant disobedience of financial regulation.”

The NEC called on the government to reintroduce the N50 billion previously allocated for Earned Allowance in the 2025 budget and to settle all outstanding allowances.

“NEC further frowns at the non-payment of the arrears of our 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increment for federal universities, inter-universities centres and some state universities,” Ibrahim said. He urged the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, to expedite the payment of the outstanding two months’ salaries and withheld third-party deductions.

Ibrahim also condemned ongoing reports of sexual harassment within universities, pledging that SSANU would closely monitor such cases. “Anything short of justice for the sexually harassed members of the union would be unacceptable,” he emphasized.

The NEC further urged state governments to clear arrears from the last minimum wage review and align state university salaries with those of federal institutions to ensure wage parity.