The Academic Staff Union of Universities has said operating the Single Treasury Account could hamper the smooth running of the university system if implemented in a hurry.
The union expressed the view as part of its resolutions during the ASUU National Executive Council meeting held in Owerri, Imo State on Wednesday.
The National President of, Dr. Nasir Isa Fagge, said for such a policy to be workable in the universities, the Federal Government should have involved university representatives in deliberating on it.
Fagge said the union would resist any attempt by the government to deny Nigerian universities of its financial autonomy.
According to him, universities all over the world enjoy financial autonomy.
“There is no way any university can operate freely without having financial autonomy and the union will fight against any plans to deny us such,” he said.
Fagge said financial autonomy for universities had enabled the institutions’ authorities to articulate short, medium and long-term plans.
According to him, most state governments have withdrawn from funding state universities.
“When government shifts funding responsibilities to university authorities, the implication will be enormous,” the ASUU national president added.
Fagge called on President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a committee to look into its petition against the Vice-Chancellor of the Michael Okpara University, Umudike, Prof. Hillary Adogba.
According to him, ASUU earlier sent a petition to the President on some illegal activities being done by the vice chancellor.
The ASUU National President also urged the President to review the privatisation of public properties since 1979.
Isa said that the union was against some universities that had continually frustrated union activities in their institutions.
NAN.
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
