University lecturers, under the auspices of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU have denied any knowledge of the N200 billion said to have been deposited at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, by Federal Government, as a way of resolving the six months old strike which had paralyzed academic activities in the nation’s universities.

ASUU also lamented that government was fond of rushing to the media with propaganda and falsehood, instead of resolving the contentious issues headlong, and vowed to continue with the strike until it was officially notified about the payment.

Meanwhile, Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, and former Chairman of the Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, Igwe Simeon Itodo, yesterday appealed to ASUU members to call off the strike in the interest of students, parents and the educational system in the country.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja Wednesday, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, asked ASUU to call its members back to work, since government had fulfilled its own part of the bargain, by paying the said amount into CBN.

According to him, the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation had authorised the payment of the money into CBN via a letter with reference number FD/OAGF/220/ ADC/1/4DF, dated November 13.

Okupe said the money was paid into a ‘Revitalisation of Universities Infrastructural Account’ with the CBN.

Meanwhile, ACF in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Anthony Sani, said: “Now that Nigerians have been told by the Federal Government and ASUU that necessary agreements and planned actions have been completed preparatory for resumption of lectures, and that all that remain is mere paper works needed for the agreements and planned actions to find expression, ACF wishes to call on ASUU to please hasten the completion of the said paper works with a view to calling off the strike forthwith in the interest of the students, parents and educational system.”