Another disruption to Nigeria’s university academic calendar could be looming as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) raises unresolved issues with the Federal Government, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said.
Atiku said the threat was troubling because public universities were still dealing with inadequate funding, poor facilities and unpaid obligations to lecturers.
He made the assessment on Sunday through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
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Atiku said the situation showed that the removal of petrol subsidy had not produced the promised improvement in public education.
He said Nigerians had accepted higher living costs after the subsidy was abolished on May 29, 2023, based on the government’s explanation that money previously spent on petrol subsidy would become available for sectors such as education.
Universities still face funding problems
Atiku said the Federal Government should explain how the resources released by subsidy removal had been used, particularly amid claims of higher revenues and larger allocations to state governments.
“If substantially more money is supposedly flowing to the states, why has the condition of public education not improved accordingly?” he asked.
He said the question was also important because several state-owned institutions had experienced industrial disputes and disruptions.
Atiku said Nigeria’s universities needed enough classrooms, laboratories, hostels and teaching facilities to cope with the number of young people seeking admission.
“Where are the new classrooms? Where are the laboratories? Where are the hostels? Where are the additional teaching facilities and expanded admission spaces required for Nigeria’s growing youth population?” he asked.
He also questioned the condition of students who could face another interruption after previous disruptions to university education.
“You cannot boast about record allocations while students sit at home because lecturers are on strike,” he said.
Atiku said the problem also involved lecturers’ welfare and agreements reached between ASUU and successive administrations.
The union’s renewed warning came over outstanding obligations and unresolved agreements with the Federal Government.
Families face higher education costs
Atiku said university students were also dealing with rising costs outside the classroom.
He said the end of petrol subsidy had contributed to higher transportation and food costs, putting additional pressure on families at the same time university education became more expensive.
“This government removed subsidy, increased the cost of transportation, food and virtually every other necessity, and watched the cost of university education rise beyond the reach of many families,” he said.
The former vice president also questioned the use of student loans as a response to the rising cost of education.
He criticised the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), saying many families were already struggling to pay university fees and meet higher living costs.
“After helping to make education more expensive, the same government created NELFUND and now celebrates giving young Nigerians loans to pay fees that many of their parents can no longer comfortably afford,” he said.
Atiku also accused the administration of providing concessions and privileges to influential groups while workers, students and families faced economic hardship.
“The poor are told there is no money for subsidy. Students are told to borrow. Lecturers are told to wait. Parents are told to endure,” he said.
The former vice president said the government had presented subsidy removal as a necessary sacrifice that would free resources for development.
“Subsidy removal was presented to Nigerians as a painful but necessary reform that would free resources for critical sectors, including education, healthcare, infrastructure and social welfare,” he said.
He therefore asked President Tinubu to provide Nigerians with an account of the funds generated since the subsidy regime ended.
“If the subsidy is gone and Nigerians have paid for that decision through unprecedented hardship, then President Tinubu owes the country a simple answer: where is the money?” Atiku said.
He said the test for the policy should be seen in practical improvements in education and other public services.
Atiku’s position came as ASUU’s renewed warning brought the funding of public universities, lecturers’ welfare and unresolved agreements back into focus.
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