Union cautions on TSA impact on universities

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Wednesday said that operation the Single Treasury Account (TSA) 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 (NEC) Meeting held in Owerri.

ASUU National President, Dr Nasir Isa, said for such a policy to be workable in the universities, the Federal Government should have involved university representatives in deliberating the policy.

He said that 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.

Isa said that 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According to him, most state governments have withdrawn from funding state universities.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.

Isa 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.