Education
Group decries non-release of N600bn revitalization fund for public varsities
Determined to continue with its advocacy aimed at improving the quality of infrastructure in public universities across the country for enhanced teaching and leaning, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Education Advancement Initiative (EAI), has called for immediate release of 600 billion Naira this year as revitalization fund for the public universities in Nigeria .
According to the group said the timely release of the funds will ensure that deteriorating infrastructure at the universities campuses are rehabilitated, as well as pay the outstanding liabilities to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities,(ASUU), and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), among others, to forestall disruption of academic calendar by the unions.
The group, which also accused government officials of clandestinely plotting to destabilize public universities in favor of privately owed which they have vested interest, decried the non-release of N300 billion universities revitalization fund captured in the 2023 Appropriation Act, but was not accessed due to the failure on the part of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to release the monies to the benefiting institutions, insisting that the N300 billion provided for in the 2023 appropriation Act be roll -over and anther N 300 billion for 2025 be release this year to carter for the long neglect which the university system has suffered.
Director, Programme, Education Advancement Imitative , Dr. Abimbola Tobi, who spoke to newsmen over the weekend in Abuja, blamed government functionaries, particularly officials of the Ministry of Finance and the Accountant General’s Office, of a deliberate plot to sabotage public university education and promote private ones which they owed or have vested interest in.
Tobi, said lack of funding of public universities by successive governments portends grave danger to nation development.
He said, hence the same government failed to release the 2023 funds in 2024, it will only be proper and just that both 300 billion for 2023 be roll- over and another N300 Billiton for 2025 be release amounting to N600 billion as total releases for this year.
Dr. Tobi, advised the federal government to provide a special emergency fund to tackle this problem ,instead of waiting for an envelop budgetary system .
According to him, due to long time neglect, infrastructure at the public universities have decayed so much that only the release of 2023 and 2025 amounting to 600 billion will be reasonable to complete ongoing projects and under take new ones.
“”We urged the federal government to pay at least. 2 tranches of 2023 and 2025 for meaning projects to be carried out. “”
He stated that the refusal of the government to release the university revitalization fund is gradually killing public universities, adding that infrastructure that could aid teaching and learning has become an eyesore in almost all the universities in Nigeria.
He said, if public university education is allowed to collapse by way of government lukewarm attitude to funding, the country will suffer dire consequences as there would be increased crime rate precipitated by joblessness and lack of skill to engage in productive ventures by the young population.
Tobi, a trained educational programme specialist , insisted on the release of the revitalization fund and called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to quickly save the university system by directing the AG’s office to release the N600 billion captured in 2023 and 2025 budget to universities.
According to him, the Tinubu-led Administration’s Student Loan Scheme will amount to nothing, should the infrastructure decay in the nation’s citadel of learning remain unattended.
The EAI official insisted on the implementation of the 2009 agreement between the Federal Government and then ASUU on Needs Assessment programme.
According to him, the organisation recent interaction with indicates that ASUU is deeply angered by the failure of the Federal Government to honour the 2009 Needs Assessmenu agreement aimed at providing N220 billion annually as an intervention fund for the revitalization of public universities in Nigeria.
He warned the president against abandoning the needs assessment scheme designed to provide funds for the reinvigoration of public universities, particularly rehabilitation of decaying infrastructure as well as the provision of state-of-the-art teaching and learning equipment to the schools.
He appealed to the president to cause the immediate release of funds for the continuation of critical projects in the institutions being executed under the nerds assessment project.
According to him, the university community anxiously awaits the commencement of the projects.
Tobi advised the president whom he acknowledged has made significant statements towards revamping the education sector to release funds for the projects to ensure stable and quality academic environment.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government in 2009 reached an agreement with ASUU for the provision of 1.3 trillion on annual tranches of N220 billion over a period of 5 years as intervention funds for the revitalization of universities.
A review of the agreement was done in 2014. However, it is yet to be implemented resulting in several industrial actions by ASUU which distorts academic calendar in the ivory tower.
Our investigation revealed that officials of the Federal Ministry of Education are making frantic efforts to prevent any form of strike action under the Tinubu led government but the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation is yet to show concern in addressing the matter.
Barring any last minute change of plans, the National Working Committee, (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is expected to meet today at the party headquarters, Wadata Plaza, Abuja.
The meeting even though the regular gathering of the National Working Committee, is expected to take some far reaching decisions in view of the prevailing situation in the party.
Also, the meeting is coming on the heels of the defection of the party’s former Vice Presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa, alongside Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and other key party members, who were formally received to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday. This is one of the largest defections the PDP has faced in recent years.
In addition to the situation in Delta, there has been an increasing exodus of high-profile members from the party, a result of the ongoing leadership crisis within the PDP.
Agenda for today’s meeting
Reliable sources have informed Daily Trust that today’s meeting will discuss, and possibly confirm, the proposed May 27th date for the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting. The NEC session, which has been postponed multiple times, is now slated for that date following a resolution by the PDP Governors Forum.
During their most recent meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State, the governors decided to collaborate with the NWC and other relevant organs of the party to ensure the NEC meeting takes place on 27th May, 2025.
Another key issue on the agenda is the leadership vacuum in Delta State following the departure of key party figures. Acting National Chairman Ambassador Umar Damagum has proposed the establishment of a caretaker committee to continue managing the party’s affairs in the state.
Speaking at the party headquarters last Thursday during the presentation of a certificate of return to Ezenwafor Jude, the PDP’s candidate for the upcoming Anambra State governorship election, Damagum said: “We will immediately take over our structures by setting up a caretaker committee. We are still taking stock, but this will be done promptly. I also want to remind our members in Delta and across the country about what happened in 2023. Obi had no governor but still managed to gather significant votes, which impacted the ordinary man’s livelihood. The decision is ultimately in their hands. This election is between the APC and the people.”
Ongoing controversy over national secretaryship
Despite a Supreme Court ruling on the matter, controversy continues over the position of National Secretary within the PDP. Senator Samuel Anyanwu maintains he is still the party’s National Secretary, while the governors have appointed Setonji Koshoedo, the Deputy National Secretary, as acting Secretary.
At the last meeting in Ibadan, the governors reiterated that the court had granted the party the authority to appoint its leaders and instructed the South-East Caucus to nominate a candidate for the position, which would then be ratified by the NEC before assuming office.
The governors had earlier approved Koshoedo as acting National Secretary. Damagum, a known ally of Anyanwu, has instructed the National Secretariat staff to recognise Koshoedo as acting Secretary and provide the necessary support.
A memo signed by Alhaji Gurama Bawa, Head of Administration for the acting Chairman, clarified this decision, stating that Koshoedo would remain as Acting National Secretary “until further notice.”
The memo further directed all party correspondences to be sent to Koshoedo and asked staff to cooperate fully with him in his temporary capacity.
PDP will reorganise, says Osadolor
Timothy Osadolor, a prominent PDP chieftain, told Daily Trust that the party is working to restore order, urging leadership to take firm action to move the party forward.
He commented on the upcoming NWC meeting: “The party is expected to take a position on recent defections, reassess the state of the party across the country, and communicate its stance. They will also review preparations for the 2027 elections.”
Osadolor addressed the situation in Delta, saying: “When people prioritise personal comfort over integrity and national interests, this is the outcome. The sacrifices needed for democracy to thrive must be made by all. However, this experience serves as a lesson. We will be more discerning in selecting those entrusted with leadership positions in the future.”
Despite the ongoing defections, Osadolor remains confident that the party will weather the storm. “The PDP has endured worse crises. Former vice presidents have left the party, but it did not collapse. The electorate remains our strongest ally. They have repeatedly proven their support for the PDP.”
He further suggested that those with divided loyalties should leave the party, allowing those with clear intentions to take their place. “It is essential that the party does not shy away from taking tough decisions to maintain its integrity,” he added.
Ojo calls for action among opposition parties
Political analyst, Dr Jide Ojo, also weighed in on the situation, urging opposition parties to resolve their internal issues quickly.
He stated: “If the opposition parties are to blame the APC for attracting their members, they must first acknowledge their own shortcomings. Every political party has internal conflicts, but how the PDP, Labour Party, and others manage these issues is crucial.”
Ojo pointed to the crisis within the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), where internal disputes have led to the expulsion of party leader Rabiu Kwankwaso and the defection of elected members to the APC in Kano. He also noted ongoing tensions in the Labour Party, where Julius Abure continues to claim the position of chairman despite being contested by other factions.
Ojo questioned the PDP’s leadership structure, pointing out the confusion surrounding the National Secretary position. “The party has an acting National Chairman and acting National Secretary, yet they are reluctant to conduct congresses and convene a national convention. This indecision is hurting the party’s credibility.”
He suggested that many opposition parties serve as “special purpose vehicles” used to attain power without fostering lasting unity or cohesion. “Political parties must develop robust conflict resolution mechanisms if they wish to retain their members and prevent them from crossing over to the ruling party,” he argued.
Reflecting on the broader political landscape, Ojo emphasised that the tactics being employed by the APC are not new. “The PDP did the same during its 16 years in power. Any party in government will attempt to weaken the opposition by poaching its members,” he said.
Ojo also criticised Atiku Abubakar’s efforts to form a coalition, claiming that his personal ambitions are preventing the opposition from uniting. “Atiku’s desire to be the presidential candidate for any coalition he forms is the root cause of the lack of support from the party’s governors. This is why they are not backing his plans.”
A total of 92 visually impaired candidates participated in the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) at the Kano centre.
Prof. Muhammad Yahuza-Bello, JAMB Coordinator for the Kano centre, made the announcement while monitoring the exercise on Monday.
The examination took place at the School of Continuing Education, Bayero University Kano (BUK), under the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG) initiative for candidates with special needs.
Yahuza-Bello, a former vice-chancellor of BUK, explained that the 92 candidates were drawn from Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Zamfara, and Kaduna States.
He added that among the candidates, two had Down syndrome, while two others had autism.
The candidates, both male and female, were provided with specialized gadgets such as typewriters, braille machines, slates, styluses, and paper to facilitate their participation in the exams.
The coordinator also said over 500 candidates with special needs-ranging from visual impairments and albinism to Down syndrome and autism-had registered to take the exam at 11 centres across the country.
He said, unlike regular Computer-Based Testing (CBT) centres where candidates interact with screens and keyboards, special needs candidates benefit from adaptive materials to eliminate barriers to education.
Since its introduction in 2017, JEOG has seen positive results, with an increasing number of special needs candidates gaining admission into tertiary institutions.
Yahuza-Bello pointed out that while approximately 25% of regular candidates gain admission, over 33% of special needs candidates are successful in securing placements.
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The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, has announced the release of ₦50 billion by the Federal Government to the academic and non-academic staff unions of federal universities for the settlement of earned allowances, as promised by President Bola Tinubu.
This was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday by the Director of Press at the Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo.
Boriowo described the move “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.
“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,” she quoted the minister as saying.
“By prioritising their welfare, we are laying the foundation for a future where every Nigerian child receives highly qualitative and globally competitive education,” she added.
Alausa expressed Tinubu’s heartfelt appreciation to the 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 read.