Education / News

NANS wants urgent intervention of Buhari in ASUU strike

The National Association of Nigerian Students has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the lingering strike by Academic Staff Union of University to enable students to return to school.

The newly-elected President of NANS, Usman Barambu, made the call at a news conference on Monday in Abuja.

Barambu described as worrisome the lingering dispute between ASUU and the Federal Government, which had lasted for about seven months.

He noted that the incessant strikes had affected the academic calendar of public universities. He said: “Also, it has negatively impacted on the future of Nigerian students as a program of four years now would last for six years.”

Similarly, the Chairman, Communiqué Drafting Committee, Usman Ayuba, urged Buhari to bring on board capable hands with experience and capacity to stem the tide of insecurity in the country. Ayuba also appealed to the government to proffer workable solutions to address incessant clashes between farmers and herders across the country.

He called on the Ministry of Education to give priority attention to the sector in terms of budgetary allocation to meet the UNESCO standard and recommendation of setting aside 26 per cent of annual budget to education by developing countries.

The students also wanted lecturers involved in the business of Sex for Marks to desist from such nefarious activities, stressing that students would expose anyone found culpable.…

Education / News

ASUU extends strike

After a series of heated discussions, the Academic Staff Union of Universities has decided to extend its ongoing strike..

The decision was taken after the National Executive Council meeting at the union’s headquarters at the University of Abuja on Monday morning.…

Education / News

NANS president to students: Expect good news soon

The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Sunday Asefon, has told students to expect good news soon.

Asefon spoke on a day the Federal Governor through the Minister of Labor, Chris Ngige, also gave the same hope.

Ngige spoke against the backdrop of progress in the negotiation with the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

Asefon, writing on Facebook on Wednesday, said: “Good news soon Nigerian students!!!” Ngige also on Wednesday said the Federal Government has been meeting with the ASUU over its lingering strike and assured Nigerians that the dispute with the lecturers will be resolved soon.

Ngige, who spoke after the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House in Abuja, said the next meeting with ASUU is scheduled for Thursday.

He said: “As the issue is bordered on money, remunerations, welfare, we did another conciliation meeting inviting the Ministry of Finance, Budget Office of the Federation, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission and again, with their employers on the 1st of March.

“After that, it became clear that two cardinal things were still keen: the issue of renegotiation of their welfare package as in the 2009 agreement; that agreement says you can review every five years, so, that issue stuck out like a sore thumb.

“Then another issue arose in that agreement – the payment platform of university transparency, accountability solution, which they say they’ve invented.

“They said they don’t want to be on IPPIS; that IPPIS was amputating their salaries and taking off certain allowances, and so, that it is not capturing their peculiarities.

“So, we now have to ask them to go back to these places, form committees with them.

“Education took them on the issue of 2009 agreement, which is renegotiation of their conditions of service, emolument, their remuneration allowances.

“Therefore, salaries, income and wages, and Ministry of Finance that produce the money are involved.

“So, they went back.”

The former governor also dismissed talks that the Federal Government has a different payment table for trade unions in tertiary institutions.

Ngige noted that …

Education / News

We’ve forced government into renegotiating 2009 agreement — ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities says it has forced the Federal Government into renegotiating the 2009 agreement with it.

The union made this known in a memo titled: “Strike bulletin number 6,” by its National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke.

In the memo made available to all branches of the union, Osodeke said the renegotiation had reached an advanced stage.

He said so far, the union has had a total of five meetings with the representatives of the Federal Government, while two meetings were held with the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu. The memo read in part: “Our iron-cast resolve has forced the government to sit down and negotiate with us.

“We have had five meetings with the Federal Government team and two meetings with the Minister of Education.

“The renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement is progressing smoothly and has reached an advanced stage. However, we must remain focused to the end of this struggle.

“The University Transparency and Accountability Solution has been tested for the third time.

“So far, the National Information Technology Development Agency has tested UTAS and University Peculiar Personnel and Payroll System, and will start testing the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System by next week.

“We are undeterred by the antics of some government officials in this respect.

“It is clear that hunger, misinformation, distortion of facts, intimidation and other sundry acts of arm-twisting have failed to break our resolve to date; they should not break us now.

“Ignore fake news and divisive information emanating from social media and a section of the press. If in doubt over any issue, contact your chairperson for correct information. “We are at the threshold of victory. Let us keep faith with the union. A people united can never be defeated.”…

Education / News / politics

ASUU Executive Committee announces extension of strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has extended its ongoing strike by 12 weeks.

The decision, announced on in the early hours of Monday, was taken at an emergency National Executive Council meeting held at ASUU Secretariat in Abuja.

The President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, confirmed the development on Monday.

Osodeke said the Federal Government was not sincere with the union and its officials were yet to meet with it. The emergency meeting, which had in attendance principal officers and branch chairmen, started on Sunday and ended early Monday morning.

The initial warning strike was declared on March 14, 2022.

ASUU’s demands include the non-implementation of the Memorandum of Action signed with the Federal Government in December 2020 on funding for revitalisation of public universities (both federal and states) and renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement.

Others are earned academic allowances, state universities, promotion arrears, withheld salaries, non-remittance of third-party deductions and rejection of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution that ASUU technical team developed to replace the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System.…

Education / News

ASUU Strike: UI management orders closure of institution

The management of the University of Ibadan (UI) has closed down the institution due to the extended industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The Registrar of the institution, Olubunmi Faluyi, Thursday made the position of the management known in a special bulletin addressed to the students.

According to the bulletin, students have been asked to vacate their halls of residence with immediate effect.

It read in part: “Management, at its meeting on Wednesday, 16 March, 2022, deliberated on the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which had now been extended by eight (8) weeks.

“As a result, academic activities in the University have become paralyzed. “Consequently, the Vice-Chancellor, on behalf of the Senate, has directed that the University be closed until further notice,” it read.

Faluyi said post-graduate students who have paid their school fees and undergraduate students who are on industrial attachment or practical training are exempted from this vacation notice.

“Such students are to visit the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs for accommodation arrangement.

“A new date of resumption will be communicated in due course.

“Management wishes our students a safe journey to their various destinations”

Recall that ASUU on Monday 14th March extended its one month industrial action by eight weeks, citing inability of the government to meet its demand. NAN…

Education / News

ASUU Strike: UI management orders closure of institution

The management of the University of Ibadan (UI) has closed down the institution due to the extended industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The Registrar of the institution, Olubunmi Faluyi, Thursday made the position of the management known in a special bulletin addressed to the students.

According to the bulletin, students have been asked to vacate their halls of residence with immediate effect.

It read in part: “Management, at its meeting on Wednesday, 16 March, 2022, deliberated on the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which had now been extended by eight (8) weeks.

“As a result, academic activities in the University have become paralyzed. “Consequently, the Vice-Chancellor, on behalf of the Senate, has directed that the University be closed until further notice,” it read.

Faluyi said post-graduate students who have paid their school fees and undergraduate students who are on industrial attachment or practical training are exempted from this vacation notice.

“Such students are to visit the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs for accommodation arrangement.

“A new date of resumption will be communicated in due course.

“Management wishes our students a safe journey to their various destinations”

Recall that ASUU on Monday 14th March extended its one month industrial action by eight weeks, citing inability of the government to meet its demand. NAN…

Education / News

Breaking: At last, ASUU declares nationwide strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has declared a “comprehensive and total” strike.

The strike was declared at a press conference addressed by the President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, on Monday.

He said the strike, which commences on Monday, February 14, 2022, would last for an initial period of four weeks.

Members of the union’s National Executive Council had held marathon meetings since Saturday at the University of Lagos titled, ‘NEC for NEC.’ ASUU had sensitized and mobilized lecturers and students across all universities on the reason the union might likely go on strike.

Background
The union had expressed grievances over the failure of the Federal Government to fulfil some of the agreements it made as far back as 2009. ASUU had on November 15, 2021, given the federal government a three-week ultimatum over the failure to meet the demands.

The lecturers threatened to embark on another round of industrial action following the alleged “government’s unfaithfulness” in the implementation of the Memorandum of Action it signed with the union, leading to the suspension of the 2020 strike action.

After the union’s National Executive Council meeting at the University of Abuja on November 13 and 14, ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, lamented that despite meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, on October 14, 2021, on issues, including funding for revitalization of public universities, earned academic allowances, University Transparency Accountability Solution; promotion arrears, renegotiation of 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, and the inconsistencies in Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System Payment, none of its demands had been met.

Following the threat, the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, promised that the union would be paid.

A few weeks after, ASUU suspended the planned strike, as N22.1 billion earned allowances were paid to lecturers in federal universities.

On the heels of the union’s renewed agitations, the co-chairmen of the National Inter-religious Council, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar III, and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Dr. Samson Ayokunle, visited the President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), …

Education / News

Breaking: ASUU declares Pantami’s professorship illegal, to sanction FUTO VC, others

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has faulted the promotion of Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Pantami, as a professor.

The union after its National Executive Council meeting declared the promotion as “illegal”.

This was declared at a press conference addressed by the President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, on Monday.

He said, “You cannot be a minister and a lecturer in a university. It is an encouragement of illegality. “Pantami has to quit as a minister and be tried for doing double jobs within the same federal system. He is not qualified. Pantami should not be treated as a professor.”

In September 2021, Pantami, alongside seven academics were elevated by the council of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri to the position of professorship at the council’s 186th meeting.

The minister’s elevation has generated controversy, with many faulting FUTO on the promotion of the minister, who was not teaching in the university and whose highest academic attainment was reportedly a lecturer before he ventured into politics.

“We have resolved to sanction ASUU members involved in his promotion and the VC of FUTO,” he added.

Details later……

Education / News

Impending strike: Minister accuses ASUU of blackmail

The Minister of Labor and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has accused university teachers under the aegis of the Academi Staff Union of Universities of whipping up sentiments against the Federal Government to attract sympathy to its planned strike.

Dr. Ngige said the government had been implementing the Memorandum of Action signed in 2020 with the leadership of ASUU.

The spoke in reaction to the lecturers’ threat to throw public universities into another round of strike to protest the yet-to-be met demands.

The lecturers said the full implementation of the 2009 agreement is what can avert the strike. Ngige said the government released N70 billion in 2021 for both the Revitalization of Public Universities (N30 billion) and Earned Academic Allowances (N40 billion) to   demonstrate commitment to the MoA implementation.

He said: “It is not true.

“They have taken their Earned Academic Allowances for 2021.

“It was mainstreamed in the budget of 2021 and they got it.

“We paid N22.72 billion, which was mainstreamed in the 2021 budget.

“And they have collected the one of 2020 where they got N40 billion and shared it between them and other unions.

“They got it in January 2021.

“When they called off their strike in December 2020, the release of funds was one of the agreements.

“They were paid N40 billion and another N30 billion for Revitalization of Public Universities during the first quarter of 2021, bringing the total to N70 billion.

“If they say the EAA is not in the 2022 Budget, why don’t they allow the government to do a Supplementary Budget?

“There is a parameter that we use to calculate it.

“That parameter changes every year and it is the Budget Office that is calculating it.

“Maybe by March the Budget Office would have known what the parameter will be and put it in the 2022 supplementary budget.

“The EAA they got in 2021 was in the supplementary budget.

“We are implementing the MoA.

“We have been implementing it religiously.

“When they (ASUU) are talking like that, I don’t like it because …

Education / News

Poly Lecturers threaten fresh strike over breach of MoA

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics has called on the Federal and some States Governments to pay outstanding arrears of the minimum wage to its members as contained in the Memorandum of Action with them.

This was contained in a statement by Abdullahi Yelwa, ASUP’s National Publicity Secretary, on Sunday in Bauchi.

The union also frowned at the delays in the release of the approved N15 billion Revitalisation Fund, non payment of salaries to its members in some state owned institutions, and non commencement of the renegotiation of the 2010 agreement.

Yelwa said the decisions were reached during the 101st Regular ASUP National Executive Council meeting held at the Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, Ogun State. The statement read in parts: “ASUP equally expressed dismay at recent reports of infractions in the process of appointment of Principal Officers in Federal Polytechnics and some state-owned polytechnics in disregard to the provisions in the extant laws.

“The union particularly noted the events at the Federal Polytechnics, Ekowe, Offa and Mubi, where the process of appointment of Rectors were flawed, leading to the shortlisting of unqualified persons.

“The union notes that the council affairs in Federal Polytechnics, Oko, Offa, Auchi and Kaura Namoda has been relocated to the FCT without due consideration to the cost implication on the institutions, safety of staff and sensitive documents as well as general administration of the affected institutions.”

Yelwa, however, said members of the public should hold government responsible in the event of breakdown of industrial harmony, adding that the union and its members had shown considerable patience and restraint.

He said: “In view of the unsatisfactory status of implementation of the MoA signed between the union and government in April 2021.

“The union once again demand that the government should without further delay ensure the release of the arrears of the Minimum Wage to staff and release the approved Revitalisation Fund for the sector.

“Government should set up the implementation committee to administer the fund, recommence the renegotiation of the union’s 2010 agreement and withdraw institutional accreditation …

Health / News

FG commends NARD, offers N47b as hazard allowance

The Federal Government has commended the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors for suspending its nationwide strike that had lasted for 63 days.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, gave the commendation on Wednesday in Abuja.

He spoke when he received the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association, who led NARD’s executive members on a visit to his office.

Ngige, who commended the new NARD leadership, led by Dr. Godiya Ishaya, for asking its members to return to work, disclosed that the federal Government had increased the aggregate money in the 2022 budget for hazard allowance from N40 billion to N47 billion annually. He said the latest strike would not have degenerated to the point it got to if the former NARD leadership had given their members the correct information.

The minister said the Federal Government was not indebted to any doctor up till August 2 when NARD embarked on the strike.

He, however, noted that there were contentions about allowances such as Medical Residency Training Fund and some doctors who were not paid the Special COVID-19 allowances.

The Minister assured that all the contentious issues were being addressed, including the payment of Medical Residency Training Fund and Special COVID-19 allowances for those omitted.

Ngige said: “The previous NARD leadership hoarded information from your members.

“Instead, things wouldn’t have degenerated.

“There is no need being pugilistic.

“We know that we have opposition to our government.

“It doesn’t mean that if we are doing something right, we should not be praised.

“If the former NARD leadership were not playing politics, they should have reported well to their members, especially after the intervention of the Elders Forum, of which the President and Secretary General of NARD were members.

“You are lucky to have me, a medical doctor and health system manager, here as the Minister of Labour and Employment.

“So, when the matter came, the issues are clear to me.

“But when you bring advice to both parties on how things should be done and it is thrown away completely, …

Agriculture / News

Food, cattle dealers threaten nationwide strike

The Amalgamated Union of Food Stuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria says it will embark on a nationwide strike over alleged illegal roadblocks and multiple taxations on its members.

The National President of the union, Muhammed Tahir, stated this while addressing newsmen at the end of an emergency meeting of the union on Tuesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalled that the union had in March went on strike following similar allegations, including extortion of her members and attacks of its members in some parts of the country.

The union had earlier embarked on a six-day industrial action which was suspended after the intervention of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.

Tahir said after reviewing the issues, the union resolved to throw her weights behind the Onion Union, who had commenced cutting off supply to the southern part of the country due to the same issues.

He, therefore, said the union would cut the supply of food nationwide if government failed to meet its demands within three weeks.

According to him, AFUCDN is not on strike at the moment, but may not guarantee industrial harmony after three weeks if the government fails to meet the union’s demands.

Also, Magama Saleh, Legal Adviser to the union, said the government must do the needful to avert cutting down of food supply across the country.

Saleh said: “This is an emergency meeting in regards to what is happening to our members in South East and South South Nigeria, this is also to brief our members nationwide on the aftermath of the three-month strike.

“Today’s resolution is that we are declaring support to the various unions under the umbrella of the amalgamated union.

“The onion association has embarked on strike last night and only to the south, and as a national union, we have discussed extensively and have resolved to support them on their industrial action.

“We have written a reminder letter to the Federal Government, through the ministry concerned and security agencies reminding them of their previous promises to the union.…