UNILORIN ASUU Commends FG for Paying N754m Earned Allowance

The Chairman, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr. Abdulraheem Usman has commended the federal government for the recent payment of N754 million earned allowance to lecturers of the institution earlier denied the university.

The federal government early this year began the payment of earned allowance calculated as extra teaching of students to lecturers of the country’s universities except UNILORIN.

Also, the national leadership of ASUU had fought for the exclusion of UNILORIN from the payment because it had severed itself from the national body for about two decades and therefore was not part of the struggle.

The development prompted the leadership of the institution’s chapter of the union to swing into action, calling on the federal government to extend the payment to lecturers of the university, which eventually materialised.

Briefing journalists recently, Usman said the ‘earned allowance’ has been paid to lecturers in the university, adding that all the lecturers presently on the campus with the exclusion of those on leave, retired or late have been paid.

“We paid everyone including those who are among us but are against us. So, all members of ASUU not on leave have been paid. For those who are late, we have asked the registry to reconcile the proper account so that we can pay the family.

“We have also asked those, who have resigned to come with their papers, they would be paid. Everyone captured within the year 2009-2012 that the money was meant for will be paid.”

The ASUU chairman stated that the union did not beg anyone before the money was paid, as it is members’ right because they worked for it.

“It was not strike allowance, but earned allowance. So, we deserved it more than any other member because we didn’t go on strike and that was why we didn’t go to beg anyone over the payment, while the saying lasted. Though some members said we should go and beg, but we declined. We merely dissolved their ego on the altar of courage and resilience.”

He lauded the understanding of the minister of education, the accountant general and other stakeholders towards the payment and called for the payment of the second tranche 2013-2017, which he admitted that no university has been paid.