The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities has said that the N373.4 billion allocated to the education sector by the Federal Government in this year’s budget fell far short of the 26 per cent minimum recommended by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
The Chairman of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta chapter of SSANU, Abdussobur Salam said this at a press conference held at the end of the congress by members of the union in the institution.
He said further that inspite of the fact that education got the second highest allocation in this year’s budget, the fund was too paltry to have the desired impact on the sector.
SSANU said: “We note that though education got second highest allocation of N373.4 billion in the budget, it is a far cry from the 26 per cent UNESCO minimum allocation to national budgets. Government only pays lip-service to leakages and corruption and no tangible action is taken in that regard.”
The FUNAAB SSANU boss who submitted that the 2014 budget was not in the interest of ordinary Nigerians, lamented that the discovery that only 10 per cent of this year’s budget would be spent on capital development was unpalatable.
While describing the budget as lacking sensitivity and consideration for the Nigerian people, 70 per cent of who he said lived below poverty level, SSANU urged Nigerians, to reject the FG’s 2014 budget in its entirety.
“It is a budget that insults the sensibilities of the discerning mind. The amount of wasteful and reckless spending being planned for by the Federal Government in 2015 is criminal and should be rejected by all well-meaning Nigerians.
“We are shocked that inspite of the 10 aircraft already in the presidential fleet, another is being budgeted for purchase at N1.6 billion. We are pained that our common patrimony is being wasted on the frivolity of animals at the Aso Rock Zoo budgeted at N34.5million. The President and his family shall be eating food worth N362 million in 2014, while Aso Rock shall spend N834 million for generators.
“More than 70 per cent of Nigerians live below poverty level, yet our government is not thinking of how to improve the lot of these people. Rather, luxuries of jets, exotic animals, and food are their priorities. We also see the budget as a conduit to finance the 2015 elections. We ask that Nigerians demand a more service-driven and development-oriented budget from our government.”
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