The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on the Federal Government to pay the outstanding arrears of its members by July 2017.

This was made known by the ASUU National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, during a news conference at the University of Abuja on Wednesday.

Ogunyemi said that ASUU insisted on a framework for paying any part of the “Earned Academic Allowances” (EAA) arrears.

According to him, the Federal Government is owing academics in federal universities unpaid allowances of not less than N128 billion.

He explained that the executive arm of government initially insisted that there would be no further release of funds to the universities until there was a forensic audit.

He added “In view of this, the union rose from its NEC meeting at the Bayero University Kano observing that the particular issue of EAA cannot be meaningfully addressed unless within an agreed framework.

“Hence the National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU resolved that all outstanding arrears of EAA should be paid not later than July 2017.

“The decision of ASUU-NEC on the issue of EAA has since been communicated to the Minister of Education, Senate President and the Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund.’’

 (NAN)