Education / News / politics

ASUU strike: House of Reps leadership meets Head of Service, others

In continuation of the efforts to find solutions to the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, alongside his deputy, Rep. Ahmed Idris Wase, and other leaders of the House on Thursday met with the Head of Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan; and chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta, among other government officials.

The meeting was a follow up to an earlier one Speaker Gbajabiamila held with the ASUU leadership on Tuesday.

The outcome of Tuesday’s meeting led the House leadership to invite the Head of Service; National Information Technology Development Agency; Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission; and Accountant General of the Federation among others.

At Thursday’s meeting, NITDA told the House leadership the Integrated Payroll Personnel Information System, University Transparency Accountability Solution and University Peculiar Personnel and Payroll System failed its integrity tests regarding the university payroll, which the agency conducted between March and June this year.

A NITDA official at the meeting told the House leadership that the government directed the agency to test UTAS in October, 2020, and that the platform failed the two integrity tests conducted on it.

He said following the first test, ASUU was asked to go back and review, which it did.

Yet, the platform did not meet NITDA’s requirements the second time.

For the third time, NITDA was then asked to conduct tests on UTAS, IPPIS and U3PS, which the official said all the three platforms failed its requirements regarding the payroll system of universities.

Not satisfied with the explanation, Speaker Gbajabiamila asked if NITDA advised the government to take action on the lapses found on the IPPIS, which has been in operation by government since 2011.

But the NITDA official said they were not in a position to do that.

Gbajabiamila also asked if NITDA queried the IPPIS platform, to which the official responded in the negative.

Wase also expressed reservations at NITDA’s action, saying it ought to have advised government on the appropriate …

News / Oil & Gas / politics

Buhari seeks National Assembly’s approval for N4t fuel subsidy

President Muhammadu Buhari has formally requested the National Assembly’s approval of N4 trillion for fuel subsidy in the proposed amendment to the 2022 Fiscal Framework.

Buhari made the request in a letter sent to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

The Speaker read the letter during plenary on Thursday.

The letter said: “As you are aware, there have been new developments both in the global economy as well as in the domestic economy which have necessitated the revision of the 2022 Fiscal Framework on which the 2022 Budget was based. “These developments include spikes in the market price of crude oil, aggravated by the Russian Ukraine war, significantly lower oil production volume due principally to production shut-ins as a result of massive theft of crude oil between the production platforms and the terminals.

“The decision to suspend the removal of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) subsidy at a time when high crude oil prices have elevated the subsidy cost has significantly eroded government revenues. There is also the need to make adequate provisions for the recent enhancements of allowances for officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force to boost their morale as they grapple with heightened security challenges in the country.

“Following these developments, it has become necessary to adjust the fiscal framework and accordingly amend the 2022 Appropriation Act to ensure its successful implementation.

“The adjustments to the 2022 Fiscal Framework include an increase in the project oil price benchmark by US$11 per barrel, from US$62 per barrel to US$73 per barrel. A reduction in the projected oil production volume by 283,000 barrels per day from 1.883 million barrels per day to 1.600 million barrels per day.

“An increase in the Estimated provision for PMS subsidy for 2022 by N3.557 trillion from N442.72 billion to N4.00 trillion. A cut in the provision for Federally-funded upstream projects is being implemented by N200 billion. from N352.80 billion to N152.80 billion.

“An increase in the projection for Federal Government independent revenue by N400 billion; and an additional provision …

Movies / News

Yul Edochie ask Reps not to blame Nollywood for rituals

Following the accusation implied by the House of Representatives who recently tasked Adedayo Thomas, the executive director, National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) “to rise to the mandate of the agency as the clearinghouse for all movies produced in the country” to stop portraying ritual killings in a good light in their movies following the spike in ritual killings being experienced in the country. The veteran actor has now responded to the lawmakers via an Instagram post faulting the allegations.

Edochie said in his post that the portrayal of rituals in their movies only mirrors the reality on the ground within the country, in order to draw attention to the vices. He then continued to insist that the lawmakers who have true power are the ones who can bring about lasting change in the country.

“Nollywood is only showing what happens in society. Nigerians are wallowing in extreme poverty. A hungry man is an angry man, fix the country and crime will go away. Don’t blame Nollywood.” he said in the post.

He then urged the lawmakers to face their jobs of bringing lasting change through policy rather than criticising Nollywood efforts.

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