The National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, has criticized President Mohammadu Buhari’s request for an $800 million loan from the Senate to scale up the National Social Safety Net Programme, saying it shows the administration’s disregard for education.

Osodeke made this comment during the launch of a N100 million Ultra Modern Virtual Classroom by the Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, on May 11, 2023.

He stated that the loan request was a misplaced priority and that the government should prioritize investing in educational institutions to ensure quality and standard education instead of giving N5000 to families. The ASUU President added that the loan amount was far higher than the N200 billion that led to the union’s eight-month strike.