By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, has announced the release of N50 billion by the Federal Government to the academic and non-academic staff unions of federal universities for the settlement of earned allowances.
Alausa made the announcement on Wednesday adding that the move is to fulfill the promise made by President Bola Tinubu to varsity workers.
This development was disclosed in a statement titled “FG Releases N50bn Earned Allowances to Varsity Unions, Tinubu Reaffirms Education Priority”, issued by Folasade Boriowo, Director of Press at the Federal Ministry of Education.
Boriowo stated that the move “stands as yet another testament to Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to fundamentally transform Nigeria’s education sector. It reflects the administration’s bold resolve to transition the nation from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy through strategic investments in education, infrastructure, and human capital.”
According to the Minister, “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.
“By prioritising their welfare, we are laying the foundation for a future where every Nigerian child receives highly qualitative and globally competitive education.”
The Minister expressed President Tinubu’s heartfelt appreciation to both academic and non-academic unions for their sustained trust in his administration and for fostering an atmosphere of peace and cooperation across Nigeria’s federal institutions.
“Notably, the country is currently experiencing one of the longest uninterrupted academic sessions in recent history—a feat attributed to the mutual understanding and shared commitment between the government and the university community,” the statement added.
The President reiterated: “The youth are the heartbeat of our country. Their future is extremely important to me and my administration. Keeping our children in school is not negotiable. It is my commitment that strikes in our institutions will soon become a thing of the past.”
Recall that university-based academic unions have been at loggerheads with past governments over the failure to release earned allowances, among other demands.
This led to the closure of federal universities across the country in the past as lecturers under the aegis of ASUU embraced strike action as a last resort to force the federal government to fulfill its promise.
