By Ayodele Oni
The Federal Government has commenced implementation of part of agreement reached with Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) which announced suspension of eight months old strike last week.
Minister of finance, Zainab Ahmed announced on Wednesday that the sum of N470bn has been provided as Special Fund in the 2023 budget for university revitalisation and upward adjustment of lecturers’ salaries.
The Minister, who made this known at a briefing in Abuja, explained that the sum was specially provided in the allocation to education for upward adjustment of salaries for university lecturers and revitalization of universities.
The sum of N300bn is for university revitalisation and N170bn for upward adjustments of the university lecturers’ salaries.
According to her, the draft 2023 budget has been prepared on the background of international challenges such as the Russia-Ukraine war and COVID-19 pandemic, adding that revenue generation has been a major challenge to national development in the country.
On the allocations for critical sectors, she said the sum of N2.05 trillion is allocated to education and 1.58 trillion naira for health.
She added that N2.74 trillion is allocated to defence and security, infrastructure got 998.9 billion naira while social development and poverty reduction has N756 billion.
ASUU members are however still expecting a presidential order for payment of their eight months salary, withheld while the strike lasts.
 which announced suspension of eight months old strike last week. Minister of finance, Zainab Ahmed announced on Wednesday that the sum of N470bn has been provided as Special Fund in the 2023 budget for university revitalisation and upward adjustment of lecturers’ salaries.){kind=link}