FG has no money to meet ASUU’s demands – Chris Ngige says

Dr. Chris Ngige, the labour minister has stated that the federal government doesn’t possess the necessary funds to meet the demands of ASUU.

The ASUU union had, on the 14th of February commenced a one-month warning strike.

This is because the federal government failed to meet their agreements, which includes issues like salaries, the university revitalisation fund, and the adoption of the University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) payroll software.

Speaking on Thursday night with Channels TV, the labour minister stated that the amount being demanded by the union was a promise made by the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

In his words:

“The N1.3trillion you are talking about was promised by the (Goodluck) Jonathan government. Oil was selling between $100 to $120 per barrel then and the revenue of the federation was rich.

“It was promised by that administration and they promised to kickstart the payment. They paid N200 billion which they borrowed from TETFund. They did not take it from the federation account. That payment spiralled even into 2016 — to our regime.

“A committee was set up with ASUU as members. Government said ‘we are going to drop N25billion for you to show you in good faith that we are not talking nonsense.’

“That one was dropped. Again, another money was paid last year because the committee couldn’t come up with anything that will generate funds.

“We don’t have it. The government didn’t say we are going to pay N1.1trillion that is remaining. They said we don’t have this money and under the principle of capacity and ability to pay, let us renegotiate it because TETFund is still there.

“Unless you want us to take money from TETFund and deceive you like it was done in that period.”