We cannot solve ASUU's case, we have no Power - Wike declares

The federal government has revealed that it lacks the wherewithal to fund tertiary education even though it claims that funding for tertiary institutions accross board has tremendously increased with the present administration.

This was stated on Monday by the supervising minister and minister of state for education, Barr Ezenwo Wike, during the inauguration of the governing boards/councils of the federal ministry of education parastatals/institutions and the committee of needs assessment for federal polytechnics and colleges of education. While charging members of the governing board on effective mobilisation of funds, he said, "It is clear that the sustenance of the ongoing processes may continue to be problematic since the federal government lacks the capacity to fully and solely meet the funding needs of tertiary education in the country."

He said the federal government was concerned about the frequent strike by the staff unions in tertiary institutions and the adverse consequences of such on teaching, learning, research and the academic calendar of the institutions. On the needs assessment committee, Wike challenged the members to come up with workable recommendations which would re-position the Nigerian university system as the committee had revealed that the palpable state of decay in the system was quite disturbing. The terms of reference for the boards include carrying out detailed inventory and appraisal of all existing physical facilities for teaching and learning in the institutions, as well as conducting a comprehensive audit of both academic and non-academic staff, including their qualifications and distribution, as well as many others.

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