The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions ( NASU ), has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately ensure the stoppage of this blood-lettings and carnage in parts of the country, especially the recent killings in Jos, Plateau state.
Rising from its National Executive Council meeting, the Union said while the achievement recorded by the government in tackling the Boko Haram issue is commendable, the high incidence of the killer Herdsmen menace, kidnapping, armed robbery and resurgence of Boko Haram activities in recent times is worrisome.
In a communique signed by the National President of the Union, Comrade Chris Ani and General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi, the Union also expressed concern over the growing tension in the land regarding the forthcoming 2019 general elections in Nigeria and the recent movement by politicians from one political party to the other to fulfill their political ambitions.
The union said this was as a result of the lack of political ideology by Nigeria political parties as being responsible for this ugly development which is purely for the selfish interest of politicians and called on politicians to have the interest of the masses at heart and conduct themselves in a manner that will ensure the success of the year 2019 general elections and desist from doing anything that will truncate the electoral process.
They appealed to all eligible voters to remain peaceful, law abiding and ensure that they come out in mass during the elections to vote for the candidates of their choice.
They lamented high tax deductions being made as Pay As You Earn (P.A.Y.E) by the Federal and State Governments via their Boards of Internal Revenue (B.I.R) from Nigeria workers and asked the government to immediately put an end to such deductions.
The union condemned the 7% budgetary allocation to education in year 2018 Federal budget, which is a far cry from the 26% UNESCO recommended budgetary allocation to education.
It observed that in admittance of under funding of education, the Federal Government in year 2013, approved the sum of N800 Billion for the Universities as intervention funds and released the sum of N200 Billion the same year as first tranche after which no further release has been made.
The Union said further that in the Polytechnics and Colleges of Education sectors where Needs Assessments were carried out in 2013, Government is yet to release the White Paper thereby negatively affecting the release of intervention funds in the sectors.
They called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, improve on the budgetary allocation to the Education Sector and also release the outstanding tranches of intervention funds for 2014, 2015 and 2016 for the Universities. In the same vein, NEC call on the Federal Government to release the White Paper for the Needs Assessments in the Polytechnics and Colleges of Education sectors.
They also expressed concern over the under funding of the health sector in the country, pointing out that it was sad that the leaders and privileged individuals in the country often embark on medical tourism for simple ailment which is a demonstration of lack of confidence on the nation’s health sector.
It called on the Federal and State Governments to improve on the funding of their Primary and Tertiary Health Institutions as well as ensure the provision of adequate facilities and equipment for them to meet international standards to avert brain-drain syndrome and capital flight which results from the money expended annually on foreign treatment by top Government functionaries and other privileged Nigerians.
The union commended the Federal Government for the funds released so far for payment of Earned Allowances to the Non-Teaching staff in the Universities and Inter-University Centres, but called on the Government to clear the outstanding arrears of the Earned Allowances and ensure that the 2019 budget takes care of the allowance on a month-to-month basis.
While commending the federal government for setting up a committee to renegotiate 2009 and 2010 FGN/NASU Agreements for Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, it expressed dismay, the slow pace of work being done by the FGN Re-negotiation Teams which have not met for several months now.
The union urged the Re-negotiation Teams to expedite action on the re-negotiating process in the three sectors mentioned above to ensure that the re-negotiations are concluded in good time.
While expressing concern over the rising spate of unemployment in the country which remained unabated, the union said the situation has “needlessly resulted in some graduates taking to crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, internet fraud as well as being ready tools in the hands of insurgents, politicians and sponsors of communal crisis.”
The union said the unemployment situation was a by-product of gross disparity inherent in the nation’s planning and haphazard execution of projects aimed at generating employment opportunities that should absorb the numerous graduates being turned out annually by tertiary institutions.