It's been over 4 months since the ASUU strike began on 1st July, leaving various institutions half way into the session.
With the meeting by Mr President and the chairman of ASUU on Monday 4th November ending with smiling faces after both parties shifted grounds and agreed on a proposal, which the ASUU chairman will present to other executive and members to call off the strike.
From all indications, there will likely be a meeting by ASUU members sometime this week and there is a 90% chance of schools getting back beginning next week, 11th Nov.
While some schools will begin normal lectures, some others will begin the semester exam and others will continue with the rest of their exams already in progress.
The question now is are you ready to continue school? Have you read for your coming exams, test etc? It would appear some students are already working and feeling like graduates already.
So tell us your school, the stage of learning your are in school and if you would like to return next week.
Please post intelligent comments using the box provided below this page. Let's make it fun... Start now... tell us.
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Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Federal Government of Nigeria To Give univarsities N1.1tn In Five Years
Details of the Monday/ Tuesday marathon meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of Academic Staff Union of Universities have begun to emerge.
Information gathered on Tuesday evening that a key component of the agreement reached by the parties was that the Federal Government would inject N1.1tn into public universities in the next five years.
A reliable source, who made this known, also hinted that the strike would be called off anytime next week.
He said the government team which was led by President Goodluck Jonathan would release N220bn yearly into the sector beginning from 2014.
The source added, “The meeting should be the longest that we have ever had on this crisis but I can tell you that both parties were frank all through the discussions.
“The parties also showed commitment towards ending the crisis. The President in particular showed that he was serious about ending the strike and that was why he offered to release over N1tn to the universities in the next five years.
“The money will be released on a yearly basis at N220bn per annum beginning from 2014. For the outgoing year, the government will only release N100bn and this has been processed.”
He said that the government, in order to show its commitment to a fresh pact, accepted that “the fund(N1.1tn) should domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria”
“The money will be released on a quarterly basis to the universities. So, there won’t be any problem about funding the deal,” the source said.
The National Universities Commission and the Trade Union Congress, according to him, will be the joint guarantors of the agreement while the Minister of Education will be the implementation officer.
The source also said that the government agreed among other things, to revamp the public universities by ensuring that all those issues that always led to strike were dealt with once and for all.
It was learnt that the negotiating team of ASUU led by Dr. Nassir Faggae met on Tuesday night to further deliberate on the deal.
Though the details of the meeting were not known as of 11.22pm on Tuesday, it was gathered that ASUU might call a National Executive Council meeting on or before Saturday where the deal would be tabled before all its branch executives.
Jonathan had while shaking hands with Fagge after the marathon meeting in the Presidential Villa, Abuja said, “My President, I hope it (strike) will end today(Tuesday). Our children have suffered enough. We must find a solution.”
All those in attendance responded with a loud “Amen.”
When greeting Omar, he said, “My President with you around, there will be no problem; our agreement is signed, sealed and delivered.”.
Faggae told State House correspondent on his way out of the Villa, that his team would take back a message to varsity teachers before a decision would be taken on the next line of action.
“We had a lengthy meeting with Mr. President, and we looked into how best to address the problem of university education in this country. We now have a message from Mr. President that we are going to take to our members and we are expecting that our members will respond appropriately to his message,” he said.
Fagge added that since the message was meant for members, he would not divulge it to the press.
When asked whether university teachers would be called upon to return to the classrooms, he said that the decision was left for them to take.
When further asked if he was impressed by the President’s message, Faggae cautioned journalists against putting words in his mouth, insisting that only ASUU members would determine that.
The Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu, who listened to Faggae’s encounter with journalists, later said progress was made during the discussion.
He said, “We made progress. The President of ASUU told you that they are going back with a message from the Federal Government back to their members and the message is full of high expectation and hope.”
When asked whether ASUU would call off the strike, Wogu said that was why he described the message as full of expectation.
“Our prayer is that they will come back with positive outcome. They might even not come back to meet us. They might take decision there that will meet your expectations “ he said.
He added that the offers made by the government during the meeting were those that were in line with the contentious 2009 agreement.
He said since the issues that led to the strike bordered on the 2009 agreement, the government did not go beyond the pact.
The President was joined at the meeting that started at 2.40pm on Monday by Vice-President Namadi Sambo; Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim; the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike; Wogu among others.
Faggae led the union team which included past presidents such as Prof. Abdulahi Sule-Kano, Prof. Dipo Fashina and Prof. Festus Iyayi.
President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Abdulawahid Omar and his Trade Union Congress counterpart, Bobboi Kaigama, also attended.
Other members of the delegation were Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, Prof. Victor Osodeke, Prof. Suleiman Abdul, Dr. Victor Igbum and Mr. Michael Odunmoraye.
The marathon meeting was the first between ASUU and Jonathan since the strike started. The Presidency took over the negotiations with ASUU on September 19 with Sambo in charge.
Information gathered on Tuesday evening that a key component of the agreement reached by the parties was that the Federal Government would inject N1.1tn into public universities in the next five years.
A reliable source, who made this known, also hinted that the strike would be called off anytime next week.
He said the government team which was led by President Goodluck Jonathan would release N220bn yearly into the sector beginning from 2014.
The source added, “The meeting should be the longest that we have ever had on this crisis but I can tell you that both parties were frank all through the discussions.
“The parties also showed commitment towards ending the crisis. The President in particular showed that he was serious about ending the strike and that was why he offered to release over N1tn to the universities in the next five years.
“The money will be released on a yearly basis at N220bn per annum beginning from 2014. For the outgoing year, the government will only release N100bn and this has been processed.”
He said that the government, in order to show its commitment to a fresh pact, accepted that “the fund(N1.1tn) should domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria”
“The money will be released on a quarterly basis to the universities. So, there won’t be any problem about funding the deal,” the source said.
The National Universities Commission and the Trade Union Congress, according to him, will be the joint guarantors of the agreement while the Minister of Education will be the implementation officer.
The source also said that the government agreed among other things, to revamp the public universities by ensuring that all those issues that always led to strike were dealt with once and for all.
It was learnt that the negotiating team of ASUU led by Dr. Nassir Faggae met on Tuesday night to further deliberate on the deal.
Though the details of the meeting were not known as of 11.22pm on Tuesday, it was gathered that ASUU might call a National Executive Council meeting on or before Saturday where the deal would be tabled before all its branch executives.
Jonathan had while shaking hands with Fagge after the marathon meeting in the Presidential Villa, Abuja said, “My President, I hope it (strike) will end today(Tuesday). Our children have suffered enough. We must find a solution.”
All those in attendance responded with a loud “Amen.”
When greeting Omar, he said, “My President with you around, there will be no problem; our agreement is signed, sealed and delivered.”.
Faggae told State House correspondent on his way out of the Villa, that his team would take back a message to varsity teachers before a decision would be taken on the next line of action.
“We had a lengthy meeting with Mr. President, and we looked into how best to address the problem of university education in this country. We now have a message from Mr. President that we are going to take to our members and we are expecting that our members will respond appropriately to his message,” he said.
Fagge added that since the message was meant for members, he would not divulge it to the press.
When asked whether university teachers would be called upon to return to the classrooms, he said that the decision was left for them to take.
When further asked if he was impressed by the President’s message, Faggae cautioned journalists against putting words in his mouth, insisting that only ASUU members would determine that.
The Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu, who listened to Faggae’s encounter with journalists, later said progress was made during the discussion.
He said, “We made progress. The President of ASUU told you that they are going back with a message from the Federal Government back to their members and the message is full of high expectation and hope.”
When asked whether ASUU would call off the strike, Wogu said that was why he described the message as full of expectation.
“Our prayer is that they will come back with positive outcome. They might even not come back to meet us. They might take decision there that will meet your expectations “ he said.
He added that the offers made by the government during the meeting were those that were in line with the contentious 2009 agreement.
He said since the issues that led to the strike bordered on the 2009 agreement, the government did not go beyond the pact.
The President was joined at the meeting that started at 2.40pm on Monday by Vice-President Namadi Sambo; Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim; the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike; Wogu among others.
Faggae led the union team which included past presidents such as Prof. Abdulahi Sule-Kano, Prof. Dipo Fashina and Prof. Festus Iyayi.
President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Abdulawahid Omar and his Trade Union Congress counterpart, Bobboi Kaigama, also attended.
Other members of the delegation were Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, Prof. Victor Osodeke, Prof. Suleiman Abdul, Dr. Victor Igbum and Mr. Michael Odunmoraye.
The marathon meeting was the first between ASUU and Jonathan since the strike started. The Presidency took over the negotiations with ASUU on September 19 with Sambo in charge.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Updated: How to register for FUTO 2013/2014 Supplementary plus requirements
In continuation of the 2013/2014 Admissions Exercise, the Federal University of Technology, Owerri started the sale of Supplementary Admissions Forms on Tuesday, 31st October, 2013.
Note that deadline for this exercise is Monday, 11th November, 2013!
Interested candidates who made FUTO their first and second choice University, who must have sat for the 2013/2014 Post Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (PUTME) in FUTO, and who scored a minimum of 180 in the FUTO PUTME can now apply through the following process:
i) Payment of the sum of N7,500.00 at any of the following Banks using the e-tranzact platform.
(a) Diamond Bank
(b) First Bank
(c) First City Monument Bank
(d) UBA
(e) FUTO Microfinance Bank
(f)Zenith bank
ii) Log on to the portal with your Etranzact pin to complete and download your supplementary admission form, by clicking ( utme.futo.edu.ng).
iii) The completed Supplementary Admission Forms are then returned not later than Monday, 11th November, 2013 to the Admissions Unit, Registry Annex with photocopies of the following items:
a) E-Tranzact Slip
b) JAMB Result Slip;
c) FUTO Post-UTME Result Slip
d) WAEC/NECO Results
Cut off marks
In completing the supplementary forms, please, take note of the following information on the various departments and their minimum average cut-off requirements:
ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING 200
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING 200
PETROLEUM ENGINEERING 200
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 200
COMPUTER SCIENCE 200
BIOCHEMISTRY 200
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY 200
GEOLOGY 200
CIVIL ENGINEERING 200
-------------------------
For courses listed below, cut off mark of 180 will be considered.
-------------------------
PROSTHESIS & ORTHOPEDIC TECHNOLOGY
PROJECT MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY
DENTAL TECHNOLOGY
MICROBIOLOGY
OPTOMETRY
PUBLIC HEALTH TECHNOLOGY
MATERIAL & metallurgical ENGINEERING
POLYMER & TEXTILE ENGINEERING
AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING
FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
BIOTECHNOLOGY
AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY
MARITIME MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY
BIOMEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
PHYSICS
CHEMISTRY
BIOLOGY
MATHEMATICS
SCIENCE LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY
STATISTICS
AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION
ANIMAL SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY
CROP SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY
FORESTRY & WILDLIFE TECHNOLOGY
SOIL SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY
BUILDING TECHNOLOGY
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY
ARCHITECTURE
QUANTITY SURVEYING TECHNOLOGY
SURVEYING & GEOINFORMATICS
URBAN & REGIONAL PLANNING
Please, note again:
(i) that before the above average cut-off scores can be used, the candidate shall have made a minimum of 180 in both JAMB and the FUTO Post-UTME;
(ii) that candidates should not complete the forms into more than one (1) department as this will attract outright disqualification.
(iii) that candidates awaiting WAEC / NECO results should not apply as they will be screened out.
Note that deadline for this exercise is Monday, 11th November, 2013!
Interested candidates who made FUTO their first and second choice University, who must have sat for the 2013/2014 Post Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (PUTME) in FUTO, and who scored a minimum of 180 in the FUTO PUTME can now apply through the following process:
i) Payment of the sum of N7,500.00 at any of the following Banks using the e-tranzact platform.
(a) Diamond Bank
(b) First Bank
(c) First City Monument Bank
(d) UBA
(e) FUTO Microfinance Bank
(f)Zenith bank
ii) Log on to the portal with your Etranzact pin to complete and download your supplementary admission form, by clicking ( utme.futo.edu.ng).
iii) The completed Supplementary Admission Forms are then returned not later than Monday, 11th November, 2013 to the Admissions Unit, Registry Annex with photocopies of the following items:
a) E-Tranzact Slip
b) JAMB Result Slip;
c) FUTO Post-UTME Result Slip
d) WAEC/NECO Results
Cut off marks
In completing the supplementary forms, please, take note of the following information on the various departments and their minimum average cut-off requirements:
ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING 200
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING 200
PETROLEUM ENGINEERING 200
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 200
COMPUTER SCIENCE 200
BIOCHEMISTRY 200
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY 200
GEOLOGY 200
CIVIL ENGINEERING 200
-------------------------
For courses listed below, cut off mark of 180 will be considered.
-------------------------
PROSTHESIS & ORTHOPEDIC TECHNOLOGY
PROJECT MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY
DENTAL TECHNOLOGY
MICROBIOLOGY
OPTOMETRY
PUBLIC HEALTH TECHNOLOGY
MATERIAL & metallurgical ENGINEERING
POLYMER & TEXTILE ENGINEERING
AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING
FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
BIOTECHNOLOGY
AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY
MARITIME MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY
BIOMEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
PHYSICS
CHEMISTRY
BIOLOGY
MATHEMATICS
SCIENCE LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY
STATISTICS
AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION
ANIMAL SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY
CROP SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY
FORESTRY & WILDLIFE TECHNOLOGY
SOIL SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY
BUILDING TECHNOLOGY
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY
ARCHITECTURE
QUANTITY SURVEYING TECHNOLOGY
SURVEYING & GEOINFORMATICS
URBAN & REGIONAL PLANNING
Please, note again:
(i) that before the above average cut-off scores can be used, the candidate shall have made a minimum of 180 in both JAMB and the FUTO Post-UTME;
(ii) that candidates should not complete the forms into more than one (1) department as this will attract outright disqualification.
(iii) that candidates awaiting WAEC / NECO results should not apply as they will be screened out.
Latest on ASUU strike -The ball now in ASUU's court - How will they play?
Abuja – President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday led a negotiation meeting with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to end the protracted strike embarked upon by the union since July 1.
The13-hour meeting started at about 2.30 p.m. on Monday at the Presidential Villa and ended at 3.30 a.m. on Tuesday.
The meeting had in attendance the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) led by their respective Chairmen Abduwaheed Omar and Bobbo Kaigama.
The ASUU team was led by the union’s President, Dr. Nasir Fagge, three former presidents of the union, professors Dipo Fashina, Abdullahi Sule-Kano and Festus Iyayi as well as professors Biodun Osiyemi, Victor Osodeke, Suleiman Abdullahi and Dr. Victor Igbum.
On the government negotiation team were, Vice President Namadi Sambo; Minister of Labour, Chukwuemeka Wogu; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the Minister of State for Education, Mr Nyesom Wike.
Also on the government side were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Mike Oghiadome, and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie.
Emerging from the meeting, Fagge told State House correspondents that the president had given the delegation a message to its members which would enable the union to call off the strike.
“We have had a lengthy meeting with Mr President, rubbing minds on the ways to address the problems of university education in this country.
“We now have a message from Mr President that we are going to take to our members and we are expecting that our members will respond appropriately to the message of Mr President,” he said
Asked whether union would call off the strike and return to work based on the message from the meeting, Fagge said “that is up to our members.”
Wogu, who spoke for the government, said that the meeting ended positively and the message of the President to ASUU “is full of hope and high expectations.
“The message is full of hope and expectations and our prayer is that they come back with positive response.
“They might not even come back to meet us; they might even take decisions there that will meet your expectations.”
Wogu noted that the offer made by the president was in line with the 2009 agreement reached with the union.
“The offer is within the issues that led to the strike; the issues contained in the 2009 agreement and we did not go beyond the agreement,” he said.
He appealed to Nigerians to be patient with ASUU and gave an assurance that the outcome of the meeting would be positive.
The president appeared to be in high spirits when he entered the venue of the meeting.
While shaking hands with the ASUU president, he exclaimed: “My president! All the problems will be over today; our children must go back to school.”
The president proceeded to shake hands with everyone in attendance at the meeting.
Also, while shaking hands with Omar and Kaigama, Jonathan said: “My presidents, with you here, I am assured everything will go on well, it is signed and sealed.”
The meeting went into a 30-minute break at 6.20 p.m.
During the period, the ASUU delegation went out of the venue of the meeting to the road where the bus that conveyed them was packed and held consultations inside the bus for about 25 minutes.
Prior to the arrival of the ASUU and labour team for the meeting, the president held a closed-door consultation with members of his team.
The discussion, which lasted for about 40 minutes, was attended by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Mohammed Adoke (SAN).
It will be recalled that ASUU embarked on strike on July 1 over the government failure to implement an agreement reached with the union in 2009 for improved funding for infrastructure development in the universities and payment of lecturers’ Earned Allowances.
Government had set up two committees to address the issues to resolve the crisis but the inability of the committees to reach agreements with ASUU led to the vice-president taking over the negotiation.
On Sept. 19, the vice-president held a special negotiation meeting with the leadership of ASUU and offered an improved government position on the matter but the union rejected the offer.
Many Nigerians have appealed to ASUU to call off the strike. (NAN)
From all indications, there seem to be a positive response from ASUU and we indeed expect the ASUU strike to end this week because if the conditions given by the President was not good enough to consider, there would have been an outright rejection of the offer.
The ball is truly in ASUU's court now... How do you think they will play the ball? Comment using the comment box below this page.
The13-hour meeting started at about 2.30 p.m. on Monday at the Presidential Villa and ended at 3.30 a.m. on Tuesday.
The meeting had in attendance the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) led by their respective Chairmen Abduwaheed Omar and Bobbo Kaigama.
The ASUU team was led by the union’s President, Dr. Nasir Fagge, three former presidents of the union, professors Dipo Fashina, Abdullahi Sule-Kano and Festus Iyayi as well as professors Biodun Osiyemi, Victor Osodeke, Suleiman Abdullahi and Dr. Victor Igbum.
On the government negotiation team were, Vice President Namadi Sambo; Minister of Labour, Chukwuemeka Wogu; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the Minister of State for Education, Mr Nyesom Wike.
Also on the government side were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Mike Oghiadome, and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie.
Emerging from the meeting, Fagge told State House correspondents that the president had given the delegation a message to its members which would enable the union to call off the strike.
“We have had a lengthy meeting with Mr President, rubbing minds on the ways to address the problems of university education in this country.
“We now have a message from Mr President that we are going to take to our members and we are expecting that our members will respond appropriately to the message of Mr President,” he said
Asked whether union would call off the strike and return to work based on the message from the meeting, Fagge said “that is up to our members.”
Wogu, who spoke for the government, said that the meeting ended positively and the message of the President to ASUU “is full of hope and high expectations.
“The message is full of hope and expectations and our prayer is that they come back with positive response.
“They might not even come back to meet us; they might even take decisions there that will meet your expectations.”
Wogu noted that the offer made by the president was in line with the 2009 agreement reached with the union.
“The offer is within the issues that led to the strike; the issues contained in the 2009 agreement and we did not go beyond the agreement,” he said.
He appealed to Nigerians to be patient with ASUU and gave an assurance that the outcome of the meeting would be positive.
The president appeared to be in high spirits when he entered the venue of the meeting.
While shaking hands with the ASUU president, he exclaimed: “My president! All the problems will be over today; our children must go back to school.”
The president proceeded to shake hands with everyone in attendance at the meeting.
Also, while shaking hands with Omar and Kaigama, Jonathan said: “My presidents, with you here, I am assured everything will go on well, it is signed and sealed.”
The meeting went into a 30-minute break at 6.20 p.m.
During the period, the ASUU delegation went out of the venue of the meeting to the road where the bus that conveyed them was packed and held consultations inside the bus for about 25 minutes.
Prior to the arrival of the ASUU and labour team for the meeting, the president held a closed-door consultation with members of his team.
The discussion, which lasted for about 40 minutes, was attended by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Mohammed Adoke (SAN).
It will be recalled that ASUU embarked on strike on July 1 over the government failure to implement an agreement reached with the union in 2009 for improved funding for infrastructure development in the universities and payment of lecturers’ Earned Allowances.
Government had set up two committees to address the issues to resolve the crisis but the inability of the committees to reach agreements with ASUU led to the vice-president taking over the negotiation.
On Sept. 19, the vice-president held a special negotiation meeting with the leadership of ASUU and offered an improved government position on the matter but the union rejected the offer.
Many Nigerians have appealed to ASUU to call off the strike. (NAN)
From all indications, there seem to be a positive response from ASUU and we indeed expect the ASUU strike to end this week because if the conditions given by the President was not good enough to consider, there would have been an outright rejection of the offer.
The ball is truly in ASUU's court now... How do you think they will play the ball? Comment using the comment box below this page.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
ASUU Strike’ll Soon Be History – NLC President
The National President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Abdulwaheed Omar has stated that the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) would soon be called off even as advised security agents to devise new strategies in tackling the security challenges facing the country.
Omar, who spoke in the same vein with Niger State Governor, Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu, at the 10TH Quadrennial Conference of the Nigeria Civil Service Union yesterday in Minna, decried the use of security agents to oppress people in the nation’s polity. He stated that the NLC, in recognizing that ASUU is an affiliate body, held a meeting with the union on Monday and would present the position to Vice-president Namadi Sambo who is now leading the government’s negotiating team.
The NLC president said: “The ASUU strike is a matter of concern to all of us. ASUU is an affiliate of the NLC; we held a meeting two days ago to reach an understanding; we are to meet the vice president.”
He explained that the congress was hoping to bring both parties together, saying that “very soon ASUU strike will be history.”
The NLC boss stated that the strike had reached the level it was because government does things with impunity.
“Government signed an agreement and they said it was previous administration; if government can inherit foreign reserves from the previous administration while dodging the agreement reached by the previous administration, government should fulfil its sides of the bargain,” he added.
Omar called on security agents to devise new strategies to check the security challenges facing the country, and decried the way security agents subject Nigerians to hardships at checkpoints and other places, all in the bid to end the insurgence especially in some parts of the north.
“We cannot be in bondage unending, security agents should have a plan and engage modern technology to fight the insurgency and give the people a breathing space,” he stated.
He decried the use of security agents by government to oppress political opponents, citing the happenings in River State and the closure of Adamawa Governor’s Lodge in Abuja as a pure display of impunity.
“Governance cannot continually be done with perpetual impunity, particularly in a democracy; we must tell ourselves the truth; we cannot act against the people that put us there”, he said.
Omar, who spoke in the same vein with Niger State Governor, Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu, at the 10TH Quadrennial Conference of the Nigeria Civil Service Union yesterday in Minna, decried the use of security agents to oppress people in the nation’s polity. He stated that the NLC, in recognizing that ASUU is an affiliate body, held a meeting with the union on Monday and would present the position to Vice-president Namadi Sambo who is now leading the government’s negotiating team.
The NLC president said: “The ASUU strike is a matter of concern to all of us. ASUU is an affiliate of the NLC; we held a meeting two days ago to reach an understanding; we are to meet the vice president.”
He explained that the congress was hoping to bring both parties together, saying that “very soon ASUU strike will be history.”
The NLC boss stated that the strike had reached the level it was because government does things with impunity.
“Government signed an agreement and they said it was previous administration; if government can inherit foreign reserves from the previous administration while dodging the agreement reached by the previous administration, government should fulfil its sides of the bargain,” he added.
Omar called on security agents to devise new strategies to check the security challenges facing the country, and decried the way security agents subject Nigerians to hardships at checkpoints and other places, all in the bid to end the insurgence especially in some parts of the north.
“We cannot be in bondage unending, security agents should have a plan and engage modern technology to fight the insurgency and give the people a breathing space,” he stated.
He decried the use of security agents by government to oppress political opponents, citing the happenings in River State and the closure of Adamawa Governor’s Lodge in Abuja as a pure display of impunity.
“Governance cannot continually be done with perpetual impunity, particularly in a democracy; we must tell ourselves the truth; we cannot act against the people that put us there”, he said.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
ASUU Strike: Fagge Salutes Colleagues
As the ongoing ASUU strike enters day 121, the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Dr. Nasir Fagge, has commended members of the union for their conduct since the strike began on July 1.
Fagge commended the efforts of ASUU principal leaders at ensuring that ‘there is no going back’ until their demands are met.
In a statement posted on the association’s website, he also described the Federal Government’s stance on the union’s demands as “no more than a repeat performance of a one-act-play: all the deceptions, propaganda, lies, mischief and such other Shenanigans.’’
The statement partly reads, “Dear comrades, as the struggle to save Nigerian University system is being pursued, I like to salute all our members for their resoluteness in ensuring that the 2009 ASUU/Government Agreement is implemented in accordance with the Roadmap defined by the 2012 MoU.
“We believe very strongly that the rot and decay in the university system cannot only be arrested but is also reversible. We believe even more strongly that the key to turning round the university system lies in the sincere implementation of the agreement.
“But our resolve to save the system and our country remains unwaivered. We will continue to carry the banner of this struggle to its logical conclusion. I urge all our members to maintain the spirit of camaraderie and remain firmly resolute in ensuring that our patriotic struggle succeeds. United we bargain, divided we beg!”
Meanwhile, the pioneer Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Jubril Aminu, has expressed optimism that the ongoing ASUU strike will soon be over.
Aminu said this in a speech he delivered at the ‘50+1 Anniversary Lecture’ of the commission held on Tuesday in Abuja. He noted that the FG was committed to the funding of the universities to ensure that students return to the campus.
The strike began after a series of warning strikes by the lecturers over the non-implementation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement. Their demands, among others, are the rehabilitation and provision of infrastructure in the nation’s universities and the payment of earned allowances.
In a related development, the Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, Chibuzo Asomugha, has said the union has yet to hear from the FG concerning the fresh industrial action which began on Friday, October 4, 2013, following the latter’s inability to resolve outstanding issues with the union.
Fagge commended the efforts of ASUU principal leaders at ensuring that ‘there is no going back’ until their demands are met.
In a statement posted on the association’s website, he also described the Federal Government’s stance on the union’s demands as “no more than a repeat performance of a one-act-play: all the deceptions, propaganda, lies, mischief and such other Shenanigans.’’
The statement partly reads, “Dear comrades, as the struggle to save Nigerian University system is being pursued, I like to salute all our members for their resoluteness in ensuring that the 2009 ASUU/Government Agreement is implemented in accordance with the Roadmap defined by the 2012 MoU.
“We believe very strongly that the rot and decay in the university system cannot only be arrested but is also reversible. We believe even more strongly that the key to turning round the university system lies in the sincere implementation of the agreement.
“But our resolve to save the system and our country remains unwaivered. We will continue to carry the banner of this struggle to its logical conclusion. I urge all our members to maintain the spirit of camaraderie and remain firmly resolute in ensuring that our patriotic struggle succeeds. United we bargain, divided we beg!”
Meanwhile, the pioneer Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Jubril Aminu, has expressed optimism that the ongoing ASUU strike will soon be over.
Aminu said this in a speech he delivered at the ‘50+1 Anniversary Lecture’ of the commission held on Tuesday in Abuja. He noted that the FG was committed to the funding of the universities to ensure that students return to the campus.
The strike began after a series of warning strikes by the lecturers over the non-implementation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement. Their demands, among others, are the rehabilitation and provision of infrastructure in the nation’s universities and the payment of earned allowances.
In a related development, the Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, Chibuzo Asomugha, has said the union has yet to hear from the FG concerning the fresh industrial action which began on Friday, October 4, 2013, following the latter’s inability to resolve outstanding issues with the union.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Latest: FG/ASUU Goes To Court
A Lagos-based lawyer, Mr.Daniel Onwe, has dragged the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, before a Federal High Court, Lagos, over violation of the fundamental right to the dignity of person of the affected students, who have been out of school following the union’s strike.
The suit, FHC/CS/1360/13, was brought pursuant to Section 46(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, Order II of the Fundamental Human Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009 and Article 5 of The African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap. 10, LFN, 1990.
Onwe is asking the court for a declaration that the indefinite strike leading to the closure of government-owned universities across the country violates the fundamental right to the dignity of person of the affected students guaranteed under Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution.
He is seeking for an order directing the Federal Government and ASUU to resolve their differences and forthwith re-open universities, including an order mandating ASUU to call off their ongoing strike action and resume their job of lecturing in the said universities immediately.
Hearing on the suit, before Justice Ibrahim Buba, is on November 13.
The suit, FHC/CS/1360/13, was brought pursuant to Section 46(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, Order II of the Fundamental Human Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009 and Article 5 of The African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap. 10, LFN, 1990.
Onwe is asking the court for a declaration that the indefinite strike leading to the closure of government-owned universities across the country violates the fundamental right to the dignity of person of the affected students guaranteed under Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution.
He is seeking for an order directing the Federal Government and ASUU to resolve their differences and forthwith re-open universities, including an order mandating ASUU to call off their ongoing strike action and resume their job of lecturing in the said universities immediately.
Hearing on the suit, before Justice Ibrahim Buba, is on November 13.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
No Retreat No Surrender: FG Is Deceiving Nigerians — ASUU Leader
Clement Chup is the zonal coordinator of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Abuja. Chup, in this interview, hints that there is no end in sight to the four months old strike by the university teachers which has kept students at home.
By Laide Akinboade
The Minister of Education recently said ASUU strike would be over in a few months. What is the
position of ASUU?
I may not be in a position to give you the official position of ASUU, it is the National President that would give you the official position, but I want to tell you that there is a lot of insincerity on the part of government and, because government has the machinery of propaganda at their disposal, they disseminate a lot of falsehood to the general public.
We are not talking about what government wants to do; what we are talking about is the implementation of an agreement which was signed by government and our union. So what government should be explaining is the morality for the implementation; so far, government has not come out to say this is what we will do.
Rather, what government is trying to do is to run away from the agreement and we cannot accept that because the agreement is binding. Government must be honorable and responsible and implement the agreement.
To buttress their insincerity, government would claim, and they have been telling the general public, that they released N100 billion two months ago. Up till now that we are talking, one kobo has not been released to any university, that is to tell you how insincere government is.
So when they say we would as from next year make budgetary provision for so so and so amount, the question we should be asking ourselves is , what was spelt out in the agreement, which we are insisting they should implement? They cannot even give you an answer. In as much as we painfully went into this strike and, in as much as we are painfully pursuing this strike, in as much as we want this strike to end, we cannot just end it without achieving the purpose for which we went on the strike. So, as long as government does not show any sincerity to implement the agreement, the strike continues.
Can you react to government’s allegation that ASUU is politicizing the strike?
Well, a thief always thinks that every other person is a thief; because they believe politics is all about falsehood, they think others are reasoning like them. But the question they should be asking is, does ASUU have basis for going on this strike? Let anyone of them come out and say no. Does the agreement exist and did the Federal Government sign the agreement? The answer is yes.
Why are they refusing to implement it? Like I said earlier, they have the machinery for propaganda at their disposal they can disseminate whatever false information they want and they think everybody is like them. We are a union of intellectuals we don’t just come out to say anything or do anything, we subject it to scrutiny.
We cannot become like them; it was said even by government at the highest quarters, but you would recall they have not told us how, what manner of politics has come in and let Nigerians know.
They said ASUU has been politicized. How?and it has been influenced by the opposition. The question we should ask is by which opposition. We look at them as politicians and all this claim is a tool by the Federal Government to blackmail us cheaply and we know they cannot succeed.
How many meetings have you had so far with the Federal Government and are the meetings on-going?
I prefer when you talk about meetings and discussions because there have been no negotiations going on but there are discussions, because you already have something to work with because when you have an agreement, it is a product of negotiation and it took us three years and I want to emphasize, three years, to arrive at that document called the 2009 agreement and, for you to arrive at an agreement, you must have made concessions. We have the document, it is for government to honour it.
We would not refuse any invitation by anybody. The Federal Government has been calling us for discussions and we have been going. So, as long as they call us we will go, probably they want to tell us how they are going to implement the agreement.
It was reported that the Federal Government has increased the N30 billion it released for earned allowance to N40 billion. Is this true?
The Federal Government didn’t consult us before they released the N30 billion. You see the insincerity? We were discussing how to implement the 2009 agreement and they simply went and released money to the universities, without any template, to cause further problems in the universities. So, if they have decided to add, and it was not part of the agreement, if they want to give universities award, they should go ahead.
If somebody wants to give you award, you won’t reject it, but we know that we have an agreement and you should implement the agreement and when you want to implement the agreement, you are supposed to carry us along.
Government is using this to blackmail us cheaply, and the next thing they would say is they have ‘released money, why won’t you call off the strike?’
We are not part of it and we have refused to participate in it and, in all the universities, you can ask, our members are not participating in the sharing of that money because it was not part of the agreement.
Public sympathy on the strike, what is ASUU doing about this?
We are taking that into consideration. You know one thing about public sympathy, it can easily change depending on circumstances, but what we are looking at is the fact of the matter and the truth on ground. Now if you look at it, people that are heroes historically were called rebels, even in the Bible, Jesus Christ was called a rebel, the people he was dying for were the ones shouting ‘crucify him’. ASUU stands for the truth to advance the cause of education in Nigeria. And also the cause of this country because by the time government becomes responsible, it will benefit not only education but also everybody. It is will be a stepping stone, then people will realize that government carries some responsibilities. For now, we are appealing to the public but we know we are fighting a just cause and we will continue. There are people who feel ASUU should call off the strike and then come back for negotiation?
There are no negotiations going on; so which negotiation are we going to allow or are we saying we should allow implementation?
Where was government when we were giving warnings? This is part of the insincerity by government we are talking about.
How many times did ASUU warn the Federal Government?
We wrote 53 letters since February 2012 and each of the letters was made public. There is none of our National Executive meetings we would not publish advertorial in newspapers and warnings constantly. We even visited some eminent Nigerians and urged them to talk to the Federal Government to honour the 2009 agreement.
We told them then we would eventually go on strike and it would not be good for anybody but they kept quiet; it is now they realize that there should be truce, truce for what?
All we want from the Federal Government is to tell ASUU how they are going to implement the 2009 agreement, that is all. Government cannot run away from the agreement; we must work based on the agreement.
But the Federal Government said it cannot implement some of the things in the agreement? It said the idea of releasing N400 billion per annum is not realistic?
Who signed it? Ask them. Looking at the kind of government we have in this country, only last week, the government said it was getting ready to bail out the aviation sector for the second time. They feel this sector is important because they fly;
But they have forgotten about most Nigerians that travel by road. Is it not Government money they are going to use? Where did they get the trillions they are going to use?
Nigeria is supposed to commence the operation of national carrier before the end of this year – that is more of a priority to them. Education is not. You see the outrageous expenditure for those in government. Does that give the impression that the nation doesn’t have money? A few days ago, the Central Bank came out to tell us that in nine months, the nation made over N6 trillion and our budget is just over N4 trillion. They shouldn’t come out with the falsehood that the nation cannot afford to implement some parts of the 2009 agreement.
Meanwhile, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation mid-wifed the memorandum of understanding that they are saying they cannot release, that is the insincerity we are talking about.
Is there end in sight to the four months old ASUU strike?
We don’t know, it is not for us to end it. When government is ready, we are ready.
What specifically does ASUU want the Federal Government to do?
We don’t want a fresh negotiation. When we wanted to go on strike, there was referendum in all our branches and they said until there is substantial evidence of implementation the 2009 agreement, we shall not suspend the strike. All we are saying is that the agreement should be implemented.
There is nothing new about it, it is what we have been saying since the strike started and even before we went on strike. So let the Federal Government go on and implement the 2009 agreement. We cannot abrogate our agreement – on it we stand.
We are doing our best to give updates but you will agree with me that we are handicapped and we don’t have the quantum of resources that Federal Government has for propaganda. You will agree with me that is a challenge on its own. That is not to say that we are not doing our best trying to explain to Nigerians our situation.
By Laide Akinboade
The Minister of Education recently said ASUU strike would be over in a few months. What is the
position of ASUU?
I may not be in a position to give you the official position of ASUU, it is the National President that would give you the official position, but I want to tell you that there is a lot of insincerity on the part of government and, because government has the machinery of propaganda at their disposal, they disseminate a lot of falsehood to the general public.
We are not talking about what government wants to do; what we are talking about is the implementation of an agreement which was signed by government and our union. So what government should be explaining is the morality for the implementation; so far, government has not come out to say this is what we will do.
Rather, what government is trying to do is to run away from the agreement and we cannot accept that because the agreement is binding. Government must be honorable and responsible and implement the agreement.
To buttress their insincerity, government would claim, and they have been telling the general public, that they released N100 billion two months ago. Up till now that we are talking, one kobo has not been released to any university, that is to tell you how insincere government is.
So when they say we would as from next year make budgetary provision for so so and so amount, the question we should be asking ourselves is , what was spelt out in the agreement, which we are insisting they should implement? They cannot even give you an answer. In as much as we painfully went into this strike and, in as much as we are painfully pursuing this strike, in as much as we want this strike to end, we cannot just end it without achieving the purpose for which we went on the strike. So, as long as government does not show any sincerity to implement the agreement, the strike continues.
Can you react to government’s allegation that ASUU is politicizing the strike?
Well, a thief always thinks that every other person is a thief; because they believe politics is all about falsehood, they think others are reasoning like them. But the question they should be asking is, does ASUU have basis for going on this strike? Let anyone of them come out and say no. Does the agreement exist and did the Federal Government sign the agreement? The answer is yes.
Why are they refusing to implement it? Like I said earlier, they have the machinery for propaganda at their disposal they can disseminate whatever false information they want and they think everybody is like them. We are a union of intellectuals we don’t just come out to say anything or do anything, we subject it to scrutiny.
We cannot become like them; it was said even by government at the highest quarters, but you would recall they have not told us how, what manner of politics has come in and let Nigerians know.
They said ASUU has been politicized. How?and it has been influenced by the opposition. The question we should ask is by which opposition. We look at them as politicians and all this claim is a tool by the Federal Government to blackmail us cheaply and we know they cannot succeed.
How many meetings have you had so far with the Federal Government and are the meetings on-going?
I prefer when you talk about meetings and discussions because there have been no negotiations going on but there are discussions, because you already have something to work with because when you have an agreement, it is a product of negotiation and it took us three years and I want to emphasize, three years, to arrive at that document called the 2009 agreement and, for you to arrive at an agreement, you must have made concessions. We have the document, it is for government to honour it.
We would not refuse any invitation by anybody. The Federal Government has been calling us for discussions and we have been going. So, as long as they call us we will go, probably they want to tell us how they are going to implement the agreement.
It was reported that the Federal Government has increased the N30 billion it released for earned allowance to N40 billion. Is this true?
The Federal Government didn’t consult us before they released the N30 billion. You see the insincerity? We were discussing how to implement the 2009 agreement and they simply went and released money to the universities, without any template, to cause further problems in the universities. So, if they have decided to add, and it was not part of the agreement, if they want to give universities award, they should go ahead.
If somebody wants to give you award, you won’t reject it, but we know that we have an agreement and you should implement the agreement and when you want to implement the agreement, you are supposed to carry us along.
Government is using this to blackmail us cheaply, and the next thing they would say is they have ‘released money, why won’t you call off the strike?’
We are not part of it and we have refused to participate in it and, in all the universities, you can ask, our members are not participating in the sharing of that money because it was not part of the agreement.
Public sympathy on the strike, what is ASUU doing about this?
We are taking that into consideration. You know one thing about public sympathy, it can easily change depending on circumstances, but what we are looking at is the fact of the matter and the truth on ground. Now if you look at it, people that are heroes historically were called rebels, even in the Bible, Jesus Christ was called a rebel, the people he was dying for were the ones shouting ‘crucify him’. ASUU stands for the truth to advance the cause of education in Nigeria. And also the cause of this country because by the time government becomes responsible, it will benefit not only education but also everybody. It is will be a stepping stone, then people will realize that government carries some responsibilities. For now, we are appealing to the public but we know we are fighting a just cause and we will continue. There are people who feel ASUU should call off the strike and then come back for negotiation?
There are no negotiations going on; so which negotiation are we going to allow or are we saying we should allow implementation?
Where was government when we were giving warnings? This is part of the insincerity by government we are talking about.
How many times did ASUU warn the Federal Government?
We wrote 53 letters since February 2012 and each of the letters was made public. There is none of our National Executive meetings we would not publish advertorial in newspapers and warnings constantly. We even visited some eminent Nigerians and urged them to talk to the Federal Government to honour the 2009 agreement.
We told them then we would eventually go on strike and it would not be good for anybody but they kept quiet; it is now they realize that there should be truce, truce for what?
All we want from the Federal Government is to tell ASUU how they are going to implement the 2009 agreement, that is all. Government cannot run away from the agreement; we must work based on the agreement.
But the Federal Government said it cannot implement some of the things in the agreement? It said the idea of releasing N400 billion per annum is not realistic?
Who signed it? Ask them. Looking at the kind of government we have in this country, only last week, the government said it was getting ready to bail out the aviation sector for the second time. They feel this sector is important because they fly;
But they have forgotten about most Nigerians that travel by road. Is it not Government money they are going to use? Where did they get the trillions they are going to use?
Nigeria is supposed to commence the operation of national carrier before the end of this year – that is more of a priority to them. Education is not. You see the outrageous expenditure for those in government. Does that give the impression that the nation doesn’t have money? A few days ago, the Central Bank came out to tell us that in nine months, the nation made over N6 trillion and our budget is just over N4 trillion. They shouldn’t come out with the falsehood that the nation cannot afford to implement some parts of the 2009 agreement.
Meanwhile, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation mid-wifed the memorandum of understanding that they are saying they cannot release, that is the insincerity we are talking about.
Is there end in sight to the four months old ASUU strike?
We don’t know, it is not for us to end it. When government is ready, we are ready.
What specifically does ASUU want the Federal Government to do?
We don’t want a fresh negotiation. When we wanted to go on strike, there was referendum in all our branches and they said until there is substantial evidence of implementation the 2009 agreement, we shall not suspend the strike. All we are saying is that the agreement should be implemented.
There is nothing new about it, it is what we have been saying since the strike started and even before we went on strike. So let the Federal Government go on and implement the 2009 agreement. We cannot abrogate our agreement – on it we stand.
We are doing our best to give updates but you will agree with me that we are handicapped and we don’t have the quantum of resources that Federal Government has for propaganda. You will agree with me that is a challenge on its own. That is not to say that we are not doing our best trying to explain to Nigerians our situation.
Friday, October 25, 2013
ASUU Strike: Idle Students Take Up Menial Jobs In Kaduna
Some undergraduates in Kaduna have ventured into various vocations to keep them occupied as the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) persists, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
Some of them who spoke with NAN on Friday in Kaduna said that they had to find something to do, to keep their minds occupied and avoid trouble.
Grace Ocholi, a 300-level student of English at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, said she secured a temporary job as a fuel pump attendant at a petrol station in Sabon-Tasha area of the city to enable her earn some money until the end of the strike.
“Everyone in my house go out every morning to work, and my younger sisters go to school while I stay home and sleep awaiting for their return.
“I am not okay with staying idle so I decided to engage in something useful,” Grace said.
Seun Ali, an HND Computer Science student of Kaduna Polytechnic told NAN that he worked at a friend’s barbing saloon to earn some money instead of staying idle at home.
Another student, Henry Samuel of Mass Communication Department, Ahmadu Bello University, said he was assisting his father in selling tiles before he was admitted to the university.
Samuel said he had to continue manning the business until the end of the lecturers’ strike.
“So instead of wasting time waiting for the prolonged strike to end, I returned to continue from where I stopped,” he said.
The students advised their colleagues to engage in something meaningful while the strike lasted, so as not to fall into the temptation of going into crime due to idleness.
NAN recalls that ASUU had been on strike since June over the non-implementation of a 2009 agreement it entered with the Federal Government on the funding of public universities. (
Some of them who spoke with NAN on Friday in Kaduna said that they had to find something to do, to keep their minds occupied and avoid trouble.
Grace Ocholi, a 300-level student of English at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, said she secured a temporary job as a fuel pump attendant at a petrol station in Sabon-Tasha area of the city to enable her earn some money until the end of the strike.
“Everyone in my house go out every morning to work, and my younger sisters go to school while I stay home and sleep awaiting for their return.
“I am not okay with staying idle so I decided to engage in something useful,” Grace said.
Seun Ali, an HND Computer Science student of Kaduna Polytechnic told NAN that he worked at a friend’s barbing saloon to earn some money instead of staying idle at home.
Another student, Henry Samuel of Mass Communication Department, Ahmadu Bello University, said he was assisting his father in selling tiles before he was admitted to the university.
Samuel said he had to continue manning the business until the end of the lecturers’ strike.
“So instead of wasting time waiting for the prolonged strike to end, I returned to continue from where I stopped,” he said.
The students advised their colleagues to engage in something meaningful while the strike lasted, so as not to fall into the temptation of going into crime due to idleness.
NAN recalls that ASUU had been on strike since June over the non-implementation of a 2009 agreement it entered with the Federal Government on the funding of public universities. (
VC Explains Why Nigerian Graduates Are Unemployable
The Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Prof. Biyi Daramola, says Nigerian graduates are unemployable due to the lack of self discipline and commitment to vigorous academic pursuit.
Daramola said this in a lecture entitled; ”The Role of Science and Technology in Human Resource Management”, he presented at the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, on Thursday.
He spoke at a forum organised by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria.
The Professor of Agricultural Economics said it was regrettable that many Nigerian graduates could not secure jobs after years of applications.
He said that the lack of exposure to science and Technology was also a major factor responsible for their plight.
The vice chancellor said it was high time the country’s education curricula be fashioned in a manner to make mathematics compulsory for all courses at all levels.
This, he said, would boost students’ interests in science and technology from their tender ages.
Daramola urged governments to ensure proper funding of science and technology at all levels of the academic cadre, adding that “they should also help in the establishment of monotechnics and polytechnics or universities of technology that would expose students to skills acquisition.
“Over the years, Nigerian education policies have recognised the importance of science-based courses in the nation’s education curricular and thus pursued the policy of giving more attention to science-oriented courses during admissions into the nation’s tertiary institutions.”
He said that the empahasis on science and technology would facilitate the actualisation of the country’s desire to join the comity of developed economies by the year 2020.
In her remarks, the Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof Modupe Adelabu, who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Mr Kehinde Ojo, said the distributions of 48,000 laptops to students and teachers, as well as renovation of all schools by Gov. Kayode Fayemi-led administration underscored the importance placed on education.
The President/Chairman of Council, Mr. Victor Famuyibo, who was represented by the Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of the Institution, Mr Sunday Adeyemi, pledged that the council would continue to live up to expectations in its commitment to the management of human capital for maximum productivity. (NAN)
Daramola said this in a lecture entitled; ”The Role of Science and Technology in Human Resource Management”, he presented at the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, on Thursday.
He spoke at a forum organised by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria.
The Professor of Agricultural Economics said it was regrettable that many Nigerian graduates could not secure jobs after years of applications.
He said that the lack of exposure to science and Technology was also a major factor responsible for their plight.
The vice chancellor said it was high time the country’s education curricula be fashioned in a manner to make mathematics compulsory for all courses at all levels.
This, he said, would boost students’ interests in science and technology from their tender ages.
Daramola urged governments to ensure proper funding of science and technology at all levels of the academic cadre, adding that “they should also help in the establishment of monotechnics and polytechnics or universities of technology that would expose students to skills acquisition.
“Over the years, Nigerian education policies have recognised the importance of science-based courses in the nation’s education curricular and thus pursued the policy of giving more attention to science-oriented courses during admissions into the nation’s tertiary institutions.”
He said that the empahasis on science and technology would facilitate the actualisation of the country’s desire to join the comity of developed economies by the year 2020.
In her remarks, the Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof Modupe Adelabu, who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Mr Kehinde Ojo, said the distributions of 48,000 laptops to students and teachers, as well as renovation of all schools by Gov. Kayode Fayemi-led administration underscored the importance placed on education.
The President/Chairman of Council, Mr. Victor Famuyibo, who was represented by the Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of the Institution, Mr Sunday Adeyemi, pledged that the council would continue to live up to expectations in its commitment to the management of human capital for maximum productivity. (NAN)
Thursday, October 24, 2013
ASUU strike: At last Senate Pass Resolution To End Asuu Strike
Senate yesterday passed a resolution asking Senate President David Mark to engage President Goodluck Jonathan and officials of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to end the four months strike that has shut Nigerian universities since July.
Senate also appealed to the striking university lecturers to suspend the industrial action to allow room for negotiations, in order to resolve the stalemate.
Senate resolution to empower Mark to lead the negotiation team with government and ASUU was based on a motion sponsored by a record 108 members, who fervently appealed to ASUU to call off the strike.
After an exhaustive debate of the motion, during which senators agreed that the agreement ASUU signed with government in 2009 was not implementable because of the cost implication, directed its committee on education to liaise with the Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), ASUU and other stakeholders on how to proffer solutions and stem further strikes.
Mark blamed government officials, who represented government to sign the agreement with ASUU. His words: “It showed the level of people the executive sends to go and negotiate with ASUU.
“The Federal Government should call those it sent to sign the agreement because it was obvious those sent did not know their right from their left and ASUU took advantage of that to sign the agreement. It is obvious that it would be difficult to implement the agreement.”
Mark also took a swipe at the acting Minister of Education, Nysom Wike, for saying that the strike would soon come to an end in a few months, adding: “The statement of the minister was totally uncalled for and insensitive to the situation on ground.”
He, however, pleaded with ASUU to shift grounds on its demands and noted: “There is no winner and no loser as long as the strike continues and nobody will win; all of us will lose.”
Earlier, Senate Education Committee Chairman, Uche Chukwumerije, in the motion informed his colleagues that the major demands of ASUU, as contained in the agreement, included payment of post-graduate allowance; teaching practice and industrial training allowances and honorarium.
Other allowances being demanded by the striking lecturers were post-graduate grants; external excess workload allowances; housing allowance; sabbatical allowance; sick leave allowance; injury allowance; provision of office accommodation; car allowance and funding of universities.
Senator Olusola Adeyeye, who is also a former lecturer, kicked against the demands of ASUU and explained that majority of the allowances being demanded were frivolous and not applicable anywhere in the world.
He said the economy of the country could not support the number of universities currently in operation and advocated for the introduction of education tax for all workers to fund education, adding: “But we must not allow the money to be consumed by bureaucracy.”
Senate also appealed to the striking university lecturers to suspend the industrial action to allow room for negotiations, in order to resolve the stalemate.
Senate resolution to empower Mark to lead the negotiation team with government and ASUU was based on a motion sponsored by a record 108 members, who fervently appealed to ASUU to call off the strike.
After an exhaustive debate of the motion, during which senators agreed that the agreement ASUU signed with government in 2009 was not implementable because of the cost implication, directed its committee on education to liaise with the Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), ASUU and other stakeholders on how to proffer solutions and stem further strikes.
Mark blamed government officials, who represented government to sign the agreement with ASUU. His words: “It showed the level of people the executive sends to go and negotiate with ASUU.
“The Federal Government should call those it sent to sign the agreement because it was obvious those sent did not know their right from their left and ASUU took advantage of that to sign the agreement. It is obvious that it would be difficult to implement the agreement.”
Mark also took a swipe at the acting Minister of Education, Nysom Wike, for saying that the strike would soon come to an end in a few months, adding: “The statement of the minister was totally uncalled for and insensitive to the situation on ground.”
He, however, pleaded with ASUU to shift grounds on its demands and noted: “There is no winner and no loser as long as the strike continues and nobody will win; all of us will lose.”
Earlier, Senate Education Committee Chairman, Uche Chukwumerije, in the motion informed his colleagues that the major demands of ASUU, as contained in the agreement, included payment of post-graduate allowance; teaching practice and industrial training allowances and honorarium.
Other allowances being demanded by the striking lecturers were post-graduate grants; external excess workload allowances; housing allowance; sabbatical allowance; sick leave allowance; injury allowance; provision of office accommodation; car allowance and funding of universities.
Senator Olusola Adeyeye, who is also a former lecturer, kicked against the demands of ASUU and explained that majority of the allowances being demanded were frivolous and not applicable anywhere in the world.
He said the economy of the country could not support the number of universities currently in operation and advocated for the introduction of education tax for all workers to fund education, adding: “But we must not allow the money to be consumed by bureaucracy.”
ASUU Strike Would End In Few Days Not Months If FG Respond -Lecturers
The Education Minister, Mr. Wike said Tuesday that the face-off between the Federal Government and ASUU would be resolved in few months.
Reacting, however, ASUU leaders argued that the strike could end in next few days and not months if only the Federal Government had the political will to implement the 2009 agreement it made with the union.
Stakeholders in the education sector, yesterday, took the supervising Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike to task over his declaration that the on-going strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, would be called off in a few months.
The Senate on its part appealed to ASUU to call off the strike, blaming government negotiators for being ignorant by signing an agreement that could not be implemented.
Similarly, Committee of Vice Chancellors and Registrars of private Universities in Nigeria said it had commenced moves to wade into the face-off with a view to ending the strike.
Mr. Wike said Tuesday that the face-off between the Federal Government and ASUU would be resolved in few months.
Reacting, however, ASUU leaders argued that the strike could end in next few days and not months if only the Federal Government had the political will to implement the 2009 agreement it made with the union.
The Chairman of ASUU Chapter of the Niger Delta University, Dr. Beke Sese said “We were surprised when we heard the comment, because we believe that the strike can end in 24 or 48 hours if the government has the political will to do it.
“It is not that we want the strike to go on much longer, but the issues on ground are more pertinent than days or weeks.”
Dr. Adesola Nassir, the chairman ASUU, Ibadan zone said the only way the minister’s assertion could hold water was if the Federal Government was ready to honour the agreement it had with the union in 2009.
Nassir said: “My only guess is that the supervising Minister of education and the Federal Government must be ready to do what is right and implement the 2009 agreement, because that is the only solution to bring an end to the strike.
“All we have seen from the government in our different meetings is begging; government begging us to keep patching up the education sector so we can continue to churn out half-baked graduates as a result of lack of infrastructure.
Reacting, however, ASUU leaders argued that the strike could end in next few days and not months if only the Federal Government had the political will to implement the 2009 agreement it made with the union.
Stakeholders in the education sector, yesterday, took the supervising Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike to task over his declaration that the on-going strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, would be called off in a few months.
The Senate on its part appealed to ASUU to call off the strike, blaming government negotiators for being ignorant by signing an agreement that could not be implemented.
Similarly, Committee of Vice Chancellors and Registrars of private Universities in Nigeria said it had commenced moves to wade into the face-off with a view to ending the strike.
Mr. Wike said Tuesday that the face-off between the Federal Government and ASUU would be resolved in few months.
Reacting, however, ASUU leaders argued that the strike could end in next few days and not months if only the Federal Government had the political will to implement the 2009 agreement it made with the union.
The Chairman of ASUU Chapter of the Niger Delta University, Dr. Beke Sese said “We were surprised when we heard the comment, because we believe that the strike can end in 24 or 48 hours if the government has the political will to do it.
“It is not that we want the strike to go on much longer, but the issues on ground are more pertinent than days or weeks.”
Dr. Adesola Nassir, the chairman ASUU, Ibadan zone said the only way the minister’s assertion could hold water was if the Federal Government was ready to honour the agreement it had with the union in 2009.
Nassir said: “My only guess is that the supervising Minister of education and the Federal Government must be ready to do what is right and implement the 2009 agreement, because that is the only solution to bring an end to the strike.
“All we have seen from the government in our different meetings is begging; government begging us to keep patching up the education sector so we can continue to churn out half-baked graduates as a result of lack of infrastructure.
ASUU:NLC says it may declare solidarity strike, to meet Sambo today
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has warned that it may soon declare solidarity strike in support of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
NLC President, Abdulwahed Omar, gave this hint on Wednesday in a communique issued at the end of a National Executive Council (NEC).
According to him, if all efforts at resolving the industrial crisis fails, the NLC would then be left with no choice than to join the strike.
He also disclosed that leadership of the Congress would be meeting with the Vice President, Namadi Sambo in Abuja Thursday over the ongoing face-off.
He said: “The organs of Congress have spoken and have directed the intervention of the Congress towards resolving the matter.
“This is why the leadership of Congress would be meeting with the Vice President tomorrow (today) with ASUU so that we can find amicable solution to the disagreement. We have not said we will not declare sympathy strike if the need be.”
Omar further lamented the alleged non payment of entitlements of disengaged PHCN workers, saying, “we will resist this move because it is against the privatization law that stipulate the settlement of all labour matters before privatization of any public utility.”
He added that labour was in support of the probe of the Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah over the purchase of N255million armoured cars.
NLC President, Abdulwahed Omar, gave this hint on Wednesday in a communique issued at the end of a National Executive Council (NEC).
According to him, if all efforts at resolving the industrial crisis fails, the NLC would then be left with no choice than to join the strike.
He also disclosed that leadership of the Congress would be meeting with the Vice President, Namadi Sambo in Abuja Thursday over the ongoing face-off.
He said: “The organs of Congress have spoken and have directed the intervention of the Congress towards resolving the matter.
“This is why the leadership of Congress would be meeting with the Vice President tomorrow (today) with ASUU so that we can find amicable solution to the disagreement. We have not said we will not declare sympathy strike if the need be.”
Omar further lamented the alleged non payment of entitlements of disengaged PHCN workers, saying, “we will resist this move because it is against the privatization law that stipulate the settlement of all labour matters before privatization of any public utility.”
He added that labour was in support of the probe of the Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah over the purchase of N255million armoured cars.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Strike: It is impossible to meet ASUU’s Demands –FG
Federal Government on Tuesday repeated its call on the striking university teachers to return to work in the interest of students and prevent further damage to the education system.
Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, made the call during the ministry’s monthly press briefing in Abuja.
He said government had conceded to most of the demands made by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and wondered why the union would not budge in the interest of the nation.
“No nation can move forward if we all expect government to give 100 per cent time and effort to our problems. We run an economy that needs attention in all phases,” the minister said.
He said government’s commitment to resolve ASUU crisis was further demonstrated by its representation by Vice President Namadi Sambo in the ongoing dialogue.
Maku explained that the strike was not for salaries but for allowances, as salaries had been increased.
According to the minister, “Salaries have been increased by 54.3 per cent which is half of our monthly income but they still insist on their N100 billon allowance.
“Government offered N30 billion but after a meeting with the Vice President, government promised another N10 billion, making it N40 billion.
“Government has also promised N100 billion from Education Trust Fund and the N40 billon allowance has already been paid in many universities, yet they are still under lock and key,” he added.
The minister also stated that no government had cooperated with ASUU the way the present government was doing.
The minister, however, sympathised with students now at home and called on parents and Nigerians in general to appeal to ASUU to go back to the classrooms.
Meanwhile, placard-carrying members of ASUU, Niger Delta University (NDU) chapter, protested in Yenagoa on Tuesday, decrying the Federal Government’s refusal to implement the 2009 FGN/ASUU pact.
Police authorities in the state denied the aggrieved university teachers permission for street protest but limited them to the confines of the university’s Law Faculty in the Bayelsa State capital.
Chairman of NDU ASUU, Beke Sese, who addressed reporters, also disclosed that the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Governor Seriake joystickson quizzed him few hours to the planned protest on Tuesday morning.
Some of the placards brandished by the lecturers carried inscriptions like, ‘Not every child can go to Ghana to study’; ‘Agreement is Agreement’; ‘Government save our universities’; ‘Poor people’s children need universities’; ‘Can your child afford to go to Ghana and Malaysia, if no then join ASUU to better our universities.’
Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) between 1996 and 2001, Muzanli Jibril, on his part attributed the incessant strike by ASUU to deficiencies in officials appointed by government to negotiate with the unionists.
He said more often than not government enters into negotiations with ASUU officials unprepared, noting that engaging former academics who have held positions in government could have been able to foster better understanding of ASUU, its strike and strategies.
Jubril also said ASUU by its tradition has been able to link significant improvement in funding to strikes, which has translated into “one ASUU strike, one major increment.”
The ex-NUC scribe spoke at the anniversary lecture to mark NUC @ 50 + 1 in Abuja on Tuesday, where he said each industrial action by the union was hinged on funding.
“Government enters into negotiations with ASUU unprepared, if the government does its part, there would be no need for ASUU to embark on strike.
“The attitudes of successive governments have not helped matters as it has made the union to realise that it can only get what it wants by embarking on strike.
“The major problem causing the industrial actions is the ‘chronic under-funding’ of the institutions,” Jibril added.
Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) on Tuesday also in a resolution urged the university teachers to call off their strike in the interest of the students and the nation in general.
The resolution was sequel to the consideration of a motion on the ASUU strike brought onto the floor by Majority Leader, Philip Shaibu, under Matters of Urgent Public Importance.
Chairman of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Parents Forum, Babatunde Majekodunmi, has, however, appealed to ASUU members to bring their four-month-old strike to an end in the interest of students nationwide.
Reacting to President Goodluck Jonathans call in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday on the striking lecturers to bring the lingering crisis to an end, Majekodunmi in a telephone interview with Daily Independent explained that the parents’ forum will not rest until the crisis is resolved.
He said the forum had made a lot of positive moves in talking to the lecturers to maintain truce so that students who are the major causalities of the lingering crisis can return to classrooms for academic learning.
Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, made the call during the ministry’s monthly press briefing in Abuja.
He said government had conceded to most of the demands made by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and wondered why the union would not budge in the interest of the nation.
“No nation can move forward if we all expect government to give 100 per cent time and effort to our problems. We run an economy that needs attention in all phases,” the minister said.
He said government’s commitment to resolve ASUU crisis was further demonstrated by its representation by Vice President Namadi Sambo in the ongoing dialogue.
Maku explained that the strike was not for salaries but for allowances, as salaries had been increased.
According to the minister, “Salaries have been increased by 54.3 per cent which is half of our monthly income but they still insist on their N100 billon allowance.
“Government offered N30 billion but after a meeting with the Vice President, government promised another N10 billion, making it N40 billion.
“Government has also promised N100 billion from Education Trust Fund and the N40 billon allowance has already been paid in many universities, yet they are still under lock and key,” he added.
The minister also stated that no government had cooperated with ASUU the way the present government was doing.
The minister, however, sympathised with students now at home and called on parents and Nigerians in general to appeal to ASUU to go back to the classrooms.
Meanwhile, placard-carrying members of ASUU, Niger Delta University (NDU) chapter, protested in Yenagoa on Tuesday, decrying the Federal Government’s refusal to implement the 2009 FGN/ASUU pact.
Police authorities in the state denied the aggrieved university teachers permission for street protest but limited them to the confines of the university’s Law Faculty in the Bayelsa State capital.
Chairman of NDU ASUU, Beke Sese, who addressed reporters, also disclosed that the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Governor Seriake joystickson quizzed him few hours to the planned protest on Tuesday morning.
Some of the placards brandished by the lecturers carried inscriptions like, ‘Not every child can go to Ghana to study’; ‘Agreement is Agreement’; ‘Government save our universities’; ‘Poor people’s children need universities’; ‘Can your child afford to go to Ghana and Malaysia, if no then join ASUU to better our universities.’
Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) between 1996 and 2001, Muzanli Jibril, on his part attributed the incessant strike by ASUU to deficiencies in officials appointed by government to negotiate with the unionists.
He said more often than not government enters into negotiations with ASUU officials unprepared, noting that engaging former academics who have held positions in government could have been able to foster better understanding of ASUU, its strike and strategies.
Jubril also said ASUU by its tradition has been able to link significant improvement in funding to strikes, which has translated into “one ASUU strike, one major increment.”
The ex-NUC scribe spoke at the anniversary lecture to mark NUC @ 50 + 1 in Abuja on Tuesday, where he said each industrial action by the union was hinged on funding.
“Government enters into negotiations with ASUU unprepared, if the government does its part, there would be no need for ASUU to embark on strike.
“The attitudes of successive governments have not helped matters as it has made the union to realise that it can only get what it wants by embarking on strike.
“The major problem causing the industrial actions is the ‘chronic under-funding’ of the institutions,” Jibril added.
Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) on Tuesday also in a resolution urged the university teachers to call off their strike in the interest of the students and the nation in general.
The resolution was sequel to the consideration of a motion on the ASUU strike brought onto the floor by Majority Leader, Philip Shaibu, under Matters of Urgent Public Importance.
Chairman of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Parents Forum, Babatunde Majekodunmi, has, however, appealed to ASUU members to bring their four-month-old strike to an end in the interest of students nationwide.
Reacting to President Goodluck Jonathans call in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday on the striking lecturers to bring the lingering crisis to an end, Majekodunmi in a telephone interview with Daily Independent explained that the parents’ forum will not rest until the crisis is resolved.
He said the forum had made a lot of positive moves in talking to the lecturers to maintain truce so that students who are the major causalities of the lingering crisis can return to classrooms for academic learning.
Atiku, 215 Others Sign Petition To End ASUU Strike
Two hundred and sixteen Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora have signed an online petition asking the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities to end the industrial dispute which has kept public universities shut for four months.
The petition launched on change.org, a go-to site for web protests, is asking President Goodluck Jonathan and the National President of ASUU, Dr. Nassir Faggae, to reach an “amicable consensus.”
In the petition entitled, “Mr. President and the Academic Staff Union of Universities: Please End the ASUU Strike now,” the petitioners said the Presidency should stop playing politics with education of the Nigerian youth.
The petition read in part, “Since the ASUU strike began, it has been over half a semester, a lot in the life of students waiting at home, not knowing when the strike will be over. The future of Nigeria is at stake. Stop playing politics with education.
“It is urgent we send a message that it is long past time for the FG and ASUU to reach consensus and get students back to school by ending this strike.”
A majority of non-students who appended their signature to the petition noted that they joined the online protest with a view to crying out to ASUU and the FG to consider poor students whose parents cannot afford the luxury of sending them overseas to study like the sons and daughters of political office holders.
Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, joined other students and concerned Nigerians clamouring for a speedy end to the crisis rocking the higher education sector.
Atiku, who featured the link to the petition signing website on his Twitter handle, wrote, “We should never play politics with education. Our future depends on it. It is time for the FG and ASUU to reach a consensus and get students back to school by ending this strike.”
An Abuja-based post-graduate student in one of the public universities in the country, Mubarak Jubrin, expressing his dissatisfaction, wrote: “I am stuck with a semester to finish my Master’s programme. The FG should be doing everything possible to rescue the one institution left that is working towards producing better human beings who will shape the future of our dear country.”
Noting that prolonged shutting down of public universities is a dangerous omen for the society and development of the nation, a Kaduna-based student, Tarik Abubakar, also said Nigerians students were being denied their rights to education.
“Students in other countries are enjoying their rights to education. I am pleading with the FG and ASUU to settle their issue and call off the strike,” Abubakar stated.
A Nigerian student studying at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, Godspower Onwudiwe, lamented that the industrial action paints a bad picture of Nigeria on the international scene.
Onwudiwe stated, I feel so sorry for my beloved country because these incessant strikes are a barrier to her general development. Also, as a student in the Diaspora, it paints a very pitiful and shameful picture on our international identity.
“I cannot wait to not only see this strike end but also the end of future strikes to the detriment of the future of this generation and our country at large.”
Jemima Gana, who was moved to sign the petition because she believes that the status quo needs to change as the prosperous future of Nigeria depends on quality education, which is being threatened by the strike.
Gana, who according to the information she provided on the site, is based in Lagos, said Nigerian students need a stable learning environment devoid of strikes for them to be able to compete globally.
“It is so important to me because it is high time the FG took the value of education seriously and in high regard. Students in Nigeria need a stable environment to acquire knowledge and graduate on time in order to contribute their skills to the growth and development of this great nation,” she wrote.
The petition launched on change.org, a go-to site for web protests, is asking President Goodluck Jonathan and the National President of ASUU, Dr. Nassir Faggae, to reach an “amicable consensus.”
In the petition entitled, “Mr. President and the Academic Staff Union of Universities: Please End the ASUU Strike now,” the petitioners said the Presidency should stop playing politics with education of the Nigerian youth.
The petition read in part, “Since the ASUU strike began, it has been over half a semester, a lot in the life of students waiting at home, not knowing when the strike will be over. The future of Nigeria is at stake. Stop playing politics with education.
“It is urgent we send a message that it is long past time for the FG and ASUU to reach consensus and get students back to school by ending this strike.”
A majority of non-students who appended their signature to the petition noted that they joined the online protest with a view to crying out to ASUU and the FG to consider poor students whose parents cannot afford the luxury of sending them overseas to study like the sons and daughters of political office holders.
Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, joined other students and concerned Nigerians clamouring for a speedy end to the crisis rocking the higher education sector.
Atiku, who featured the link to the petition signing website on his Twitter handle, wrote, “We should never play politics with education. Our future depends on it. It is time for the FG and ASUU to reach a consensus and get students back to school by ending this strike.”
An Abuja-based post-graduate student in one of the public universities in the country, Mubarak Jubrin, expressing his dissatisfaction, wrote: “I am stuck with a semester to finish my Master’s programme. The FG should be doing everything possible to rescue the one institution left that is working towards producing better human beings who will shape the future of our dear country.”
Noting that prolonged shutting down of public universities is a dangerous omen for the society and development of the nation, a Kaduna-based student, Tarik Abubakar, also said Nigerians students were being denied their rights to education.
“Students in other countries are enjoying their rights to education. I am pleading with the FG and ASUU to settle their issue and call off the strike,” Abubakar stated.
A Nigerian student studying at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, Godspower Onwudiwe, lamented that the industrial action paints a bad picture of Nigeria on the international scene.
Onwudiwe stated, I feel so sorry for my beloved country because these incessant strikes are a barrier to her general development. Also, as a student in the Diaspora, it paints a very pitiful and shameful picture on our international identity.
“I cannot wait to not only see this strike end but also the end of future strikes to the detriment of the future of this generation and our country at large.”
Jemima Gana, who was moved to sign the petition because she believes that the status quo needs to change as the prosperous future of Nigeria depends on quality education, which is being threatened by the strike.
Gana, who according to the information she provided on the site, is based in Lagos, said Nigerian students need a stable learning environment devoid of strikes for them to be able to compete globally.
“It is so important to me because it is high time the FG took the value of education seriously and in high regard. Students in Nigeria need a stable environment to acquire knowledge and graduate on time in order to contribute their skills to the growth and development of this great nation,” she wrote.
Strike: It is impossible to meet ASUU’s Demands –FG
Federal Government on Tuesday repeated its call on the striking university teachers to return to work in the interest of students and prevent further damage to the education system.
Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, made the call during the ministry’s monthly press briefing in Abuja.
He said government had conceded to most of the demands made by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and wondered why the union would not budge in the interest of the nation.
“No nation can move forward if we all expect government to give 100 per cent time and effort to our problems. We run an economy that needs attention in all phases,” the minister said.
He said government’s commitment to resolve ASUU crisis was further demonstrated by its representation by Vice President Namadi Sambo in the ongoing dialogue.
Maku explained that the strike was not for salaries but for allowances, as salaries had been increased.
According to the minister, “Salaries have been increased by 54.3 per cent which is half of our monthly income but they still insist on their N100 billon allowance.
“Government offered N30 billion but after a meeting with the Vice President, government promised another N10 billion, making it N40 billion.
“Government has also promised N100 billion from Education Trust Fund and the N40 billon allowance has already been paid in many universities, yet they are still under lock and key,” he added.
The minister also stated that no government had cooperated with ASUU the way the present government was doing.
The minister, however, sympathised with students now at home and called on parents and Nigerians in general to appeal to ASUU to go back to the classrooms.
Meanwhile, placard-carrying members of ASUU, Niger Delta University (NDU) chapter, protested in Yenagoa on Tuesday, decrying the Federal Government’s refusal to implement the 2009 FGN/ASUU pact.
Police authorities in the state denied the aggrieved university teachers permission for street protest but limited them to the confines of the university’s Law Faculty in the Bayelsa State capital.
Chairman of NDU ASUU, Beke Sese, who addressed reporters, also disclosed that the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Governor Seriake joystickson quizzed him few hours to the planned protest on Tuesday morning.
Some of the placards brandished by the lecturers carried inscriptions like, ‘Not every child can go to Ghana to study’; ‘Agreement is Agreement’; ‘Government save our universities’; ‘Poor people’s children need universities’; ‘Can your child afford to go to Ghana and Malaysia, if no then join ASUU to better our universities.’
Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) between 1996 and 2001, Muzanli Jibril, on his part attributed the incessant strike by ASUU to deficiencies in officials appointed by government to negotiate with the unionists.
He said more often than not government enters into negotiations with ASUU officials unprepared, noting that engaging former academics who have held positions in government could have been able to foster better understanding of ASUU, its strike and strategies.
Jubril also said ASUU by its tradition has been able to link significant improvement in funding to strikes, which has translated into “one ASUU strike, one major increment.”
The ex-NUC scribe spoke at the anniversary lecture to mark NUC @ 50 + 1 in Abuja on Tuesday, where he said each industrial action by the union was hinged on funding.
“Government enters into negotiations with ASUU unprepared, if the government does its part, there would be no need for ASUU to embark on strike.
“The attitudes of successive governments have not helped matters as it has made the union to realise that it can only get what it wants by embarking on strike.
“The major problem causing the industrial actions is the ‘chronic under-funding’ of the institutions,” Jibril added.
Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) on Tuesday also in a resolution urged the university teachers to call off their strike in the interest of the students and the nation in general.
The resolution was sequel to the consideration of a motion on the ASUU strike brought onto the floor by Majority Leader, Philip Shaibu, under Matters of Urgent Public Importance.
Chairman of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Parents Forum, Babatunde Majekodunmi, has, however, appealed to ASUU members to bring their four-month-old strike to an end in the interest of students nationwide.
Reacting to President Goodluck Jonathans call in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday on the striking lecturers to bring the lingering crisis to an end, Majekodunmi in a telephone interview with Daily Independent explained that the parents’ forum will not rest until the crisis is resolved.
He said the forum had made a lot of positive moves in talking to the lecturers to maintain truce so that students who are the major causalities of the lingering crisis can return to classrooms for academic learning.
Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, made the call during the ministry’s monthly press briefing in Abuja.
He said government had conceded to most of the demands made by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and wondered why the union would not budge in the interest of the nation.
“No nation can move forward if we all expect government to give 100 per cent time and effort to our problems. We run an economy that needs attention in all phases,” the minister said.
He said government’s commitment to resolve ASUU crisis was further demonstrated by its representation by Vice President Namadi Sambo in the ongoing dialogue.
Maku explained that the strike was not for salaries but for allowances, as salaries had been increased.
According to the minister, “Salaries have been increased by 54.3 per cent which is half of our monthly income but they still insist on their N100 billon allowance.
“Government offered N30 billion but after a meeting with the Vice President, government promised another N10 billion, making it N40 billion.
“Government has also promised N100 billion from Education Trust Fund and the N40 billon allowance has already been paid in many universities, yet they are still under lock and key,” he added.
The minister also stated that no government had cooperated with ASUU the way the present government was doing.
The minister, however, sympathised with students now at home and called on parents and Nigerians in general to appeal to ASUU to go back to the classrooms.
Meanwhile, placard-carrying members of ASUU, Niger Delta University (NDU) chapter, protested in Yenagoa on Tuesday, decrying the Federal Government’s refusal to implement the 2009 FGN/ASUU pact.
Police authorities in the state denied the aggrieved university teachers permission for street protest but limited them to the confines of the university’s Law Faculty in the Bayelsa State capital.
Chairman of NDU ASUU, Beke Sese, who addressed reporters, also disclosed that the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Governor Seriake joystickson quizzed him few hours to the planned protest on Tuesday morning.
Some of the placards brandished by the lecturers carried inscriptions like, ‘Not every child can go to Ghana to study’; ‘Agreement is Agreement’; ‘Government save our universities’; ‘Poor people’s children need universities’; ‘Can your child afford to go to Ghana and Malaysia, if no then join ASUU to better our universities.’
Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) between 1996 and 2001, Muzanli Jibril, on his part attributed the incessant strike by ASUU to deficiencies in officials appointed by government to negotiate with the unionists.
He said more often than not government enters into negotiations with ASUU officials unprepared, noting that engaging former academics who have held positions in government could have been able to foster better understanding of ASUU, its strike and strategies.
Jubril also said ASUU by its tradition has been able to link significant improvement in funding to strikes, which has translated into “one ASUU strike, one major increment.”
The ex-NUC scribe spoke at the anniversary lecture to mark NUC @ 50 + 1 in Abuja on Tuesday, where he said each industrial action by the union was hinged on funding.
“Government enters into negotiations with ASUU unprepared, if the government does its part, there would be no need for ASUU to embark on strike.
“The attitudes of successive governments have not helped matters as it has made the union to realise that it can only get what it wants by embarking on strike.
“The major problem causing the industrial actions is the ‘chronic under-funding’ of the institutions,” Jibril added.
Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) on Tuesday also in a resolution urged the university teachers to call off their strike in the interest of the students and the nation in general.
The resolution was sequel to the consideration of a motion on the ASUU strike brought onto the floor by Majority Leader, Philip Shaibu, under Matters of Urgent Public Importance.
Chairman of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Parents Forum, Babatunde Majekodunmi, has, however, appealed to ASUU members to bring their four-month-old strike to an end in the interest of students nationwide.
Reacting to President Goodluck Jonathans call in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday on the striking lecturers to bring the lingering crisis to an end, Majekodunmi in a telephone interview with Daily Independent explained that the parents’ forum will not rest until the crisis is resolved.
He said the forum had made a lot of positive moves in talking to the lecturers to maintain truce so that students who are the major causalities of the lingering crisis can return to classrooms for academic learning.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Reconsider Your Stand, Abdusalami; Babangida Tell ASUU/FG
Two former Military Head of State, General Abdulsami Abubakar and General Ibrahim Babangida has called on the Academic Staff Union Of Universities and the Federal government to reconsider their stand on the ongoing strike in order to avert total collapse of education in the countryThe duo spoke with journalists shortly after paying sallah visit to the state governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu at his residence in Minna on Friday.
General Abubakar who spoke extensively on other nagging national issues including security, oil theft among others also called on all other unions already on strike or warming up to enter into dialogue with the relevant authorities to avoid the collapse of the nation’s economy.
General Abubakar said, “I believe that strike is a normal issue but i think we are overdoing it in this country because in other developed countries, strike is done within 24 hours aimed at drawing attention to their plight. Nigerians are already feeling the pinch of these strike actions and so government and these strikers should look at how these issues can be resolved immediately.”
The former Head of State said government should not have allowed the strike to linger on for so long and therefore called on it to look into their demands and address them accordingly regardless of its dwindling resources.
According to him, “Government should look into these various issues and demands and address them accordingly regardless of the dwindling resources of the country and similarly, the strikers should also look at the coffers of government and try to be reasonable in their demands.”
He noted that the various unions had made their points and therefore urged them to go back to work pointing out that if the strike continues, they might eventually lose the sympathy of the people.
General Babangida who also spoke in the same vein also called on the striking unions to sheath their swords in the interest of parents, students and other affected Nigerians.
Speaking on security, General Abubakar said it is the business of all Nigerians and should not be left in the hands of government and security agents alone and therefore called on the public to always pass on relevant informationregarding security to the authorities. Just as he also called on the security agencies to always protect sources of their information in order to give more room for more information.
General Abubakar those involved in the constant oil theft as unpatrotic and urged them to abandon the business in the interest of the economy of the nation.
“I look at the ongoing development as very sad and look at the people as very unpatrotic. To them, they think they are getting their share of the national cake by stealing whereas they are not. I want them to have a rethink and search their conscience and turn a new leaf so that we can have a peaceful and developing country”
He however allayed the fears of the ongoing problems facing the country saying, “God has joined us together and whether you break Nigeria into pieces, we will still remain joined by our umbilical cord because our umbilical cord is still there and we will continue to live together either as neighbours or as communities.”
General Abubakar who spoke extensively on other nagging national issues including security, oil theft among others also called on all other unions already on strike or warming up to enter into dialogue with the relevant authorities to avoid the collapse of the nation’s economy.
General Abubakar said, “I believe that strike is a normal issue but i think we are overdoing it in this country because in other developed countries, strike is done within 24 hours aimed at drawing attention to their plight. Nigerians are already feeling the pinch of these strike actions and so government and these strikers should look at how these issues can be resolved immediately.”
The former Head of State said government should not have allowed the strike to linger on for so long and therefore called on it to look into their demands and address them accordingly regardless of its dwindling resources.
According to him, “Government should look into these various issues and demands and address them accordingly regardless of the dwindling resources of the country and similarly, the strikers should also look at the coffers of government and try to be reasonable in their demands.”
He noted that the various unions had made their points and therefore urged them to go back to work pointing out that if the strike continues, they might eventually lose the sympathy of the people.
General Babangida who also spoke in the same vein also called on the striking unions to sheath their swords in the interest of parents, students and other affected Nigerians.
Speaking on security, General Abubakar said it is the business of all Nigerians and should not be left in the hands of government and security agents alone and therefore called on the public to always pass on relevant informationregarding security to the authorities. Just as he also called on the security agencies to always protect sources of their information in order to give more room for more information.
General Abubakar those involved in the constant oil theft as unpatrotic and urged them to abandon the business in the interest of the economy of the nation.
“I look at the ongoing development as very sad and look at the people as very unpatrotic. To them, they think they are getting their share of the national cake by stealing whereas they are not. I want them to have a rethink and search their conscience and turn a new leaf so that we can have a peaceful and developing country”
He however allayed the fears of the ongoing problems facing the country saying, “God has joined us together and whether you break Nigeria into pieces, we will still remain joined by our umbilical cord because our umbilical cord is still there and we will continue to live together either as neighbours or as communities.”
ASUU Strike: NANS Barricades Niger Bridge For Hours
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Friday barricaded the Asaba axis of the Niger Bridge for more than two hours.
The action, which was jointly carried out by some university students and their polytechnic counterparts was in protest of the protracted strike by ASUU.
The aggrieved students blocked the bridge at about 1 p.m., which resulted to a traffic gridlock that stretched from the bridge to Okwe junction about five kilometres to Asaba town.
They also lamented the recent decisions of polytechnic lecturers under the auspices of ASUP to also embark on a similar strike, saying it would further cripple the education sector and send a wrong signal to the international community.
NANS National Public Relations Officer, Victor Ola-Ogun, said that the students were tired of the strike and appealed to ASUU to call it off.
He said that the students had embarked on the peaceful protest and taken it to Kano and “now they are in Zone B, that is Delta and the Anambra area of the country.’’
He said that if the lecturers refuse to call off the strike, the association would further move the protest to Zone C and D, comprising the middle Belt areas and South West of the country.
“We do not want a situation where our ladies will become prostitutes and the men armed robbers.
“We are always there to fight for the lecturers’ welfare and now that the Federal Government has decided to meet some of their demands, they should consider for our sake and go back to work,’’ Ola-Ogun said.
The students, which were drawn from different parts of the country, came in large number.
They will leave Delta to their various destinations on Saturday. (NAN)
The action, which was jointly carried out by some university students and their polytechnic counterparts was in protest of the protracted strike by ASUU.
The aggrieved students blocked the bridge at about 1 p.m., which resulted to a traffic gridlock that stretched from the bridge to Okwe junction about five kilometres to Asaba town.
They also lamented the recent decisions of polytechnic lecturers under the auspices of ASUP to also embark on a similar strike, saying it would further cripple the education sector and send a wrong signal to the international community.
NANS National Public Relations Officer, Victor Ola-Ogun, said that the students were tired of the strike and appealed to ASUU to call it off.
He said that the students had embarked on the peaceful protest and taken it to Kano and “now they are in Zone B, that is Delta and the Anambra area of the country.’’
He said that if the lecturers refuse to call off the strike, the association would further move the protest to Zone C and D, comprising the middle Belt areas and South West of the country.
“We do not want a situation where our ladies will become prostitutes and the men armed robbers.
“We are always there to fight for the lecturers’ welfare and now that the Federal Government has decided to meet some of their demands, they should consider for our sake and go back to work,’’ Ola-Ogun said.
The students, which were drawn from different parts of the country, came in large number.
They will leave Delta to their various destinations on Saturday. (NAN)
ASUU Strike: NANS Barricades Niger Bridge For Hours
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Friday barricaded the Asaba axis of the Niger Bridge for more than two hours.
The action, which was jointly carried out by some university students and their polytechnic counterparts was in protest of the protracted strike by ASUU.
The aggrieved students blocked the bridge at about 1 p.m., which resulted to a traffic gridlock that stretched from the bridge to Okwe junction about five kilometres to Asaba town.
They also lamented the recent decisions of polytechnic lecturers under the auspices of ASUP to also embark on a similar strike, saying it would further cripple the education sector and send a wrong signal to the international community.
NANS National Public Relations Officer, Victor Ola-Ogun, said that the students were tired of the strike and appealed to ASUU to call it off.
He said that the students had embarked on the peaceful protest and taken it to Kano and “now they are in Zone B, that is Delta and the Anambra area of the country.’’
He said that if the lecturers refuse to call off the strike, the association would further move the protest to Zone C and D, comprising the middle Belt areas and South West of the country.
“We do not want a situation where our ladies will become prostitutes and the men armed robbers.
“We are always there to fight for the lecturers’ welfare and now that the Federal Government has decided to meet some of their demands, they should consider for our sake and go back to work,’’ Ola-Ogun said.
The students, which were drawn from different parts of the country, came in large number.
They will leave Delta to their various destinations on Saturday. (NAN)
The action, which was jointly carried out by some university students and their polytechnic counterparts was in protest of the protracted strike by ASUU.
The aggrieved students blocked the bridge at about 1 p.m., which resulted to a traffic gridlock that stretched from the bridge to Okwe junction about five kilometres to Asaba town.
They also lamented the recent decisions of polytechnic lecturers under the auspices of ASUP to also embark on a similar strike, saying it would further cripple the education sector and send a wrong signal to the international community.
NANS National Public Relations Officer, Victor Ola-Ogun, said that the students were tired of the strike and appealed to ASUU to call it off.
He said that the students had embarked on the peaceful protest and taken it to Kano and “now they are in Zone B, that is Delta and the Anambra area of the country.’’
He said that if the lecturers refuse to call off the strike, the association would further move the protest to Zone C and D, comprising the middle Belt areas and South West of the country.
“We do not want a situation where our ladies will become prostitutes and the men armed robbers.
“We are always there to fight for the lecturers’ welfare and now that the Federal Government has decided to meet some of their demands, they should consider for our sake and go back to work,’’ Ola-Ogun said.
The students, which were drawn from different parts of the country, came in large number.
They will leave Delta to their various destinations on Saturday. (NAN)
Friday, October 18, 2013
Breaking: ASUU rejects FG offers; says strike must continue
Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, yesterday, rejected. the N130 billion the Federal Government disbursed into the university system, as part of efforts to persuade striking lecturers to call off the strike which began on July 2.
In a letter written to Head of National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy, NEEDs Assessment, and Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswan, by President of ASUU, Dr. Nasir Isa Fagge. The union insisted that based on the 2009 ASUU/FGN agreement and the January 2012 Memoranda of Understanding, MoU, signed by both parties, what was due for 2012 and 2013 was N500 billion, not N100 billion.
The letter read: “We observe that the Committee is so far mentioning only N100 billion. If the implementation is to be related to the funding requirements in the 2009 ASUU/FGN agreement and the Jan 2012 MoU, what is due for 2012 and 2013 is N500 billion not N100 billion. Only the provision of this sum will meet the immediate needs of the universities.
“Our Union is very apprehensive of the manner in which the sources of the initial N100 billion to be used for the stimulation of the process are shrouded in secrecy. We believe that monies that already belong to the university system should not be blocked and recycled.
“This will not only be counterproductive but will brew even deeper crises in the system. ASUU will not accept this.
“We are also concerned that a clear procedure or process for assessing the funds by the universities is yet to be defined. This concern is even more germane, given the statement of the Chairman of the Committee (during the last meeting on Monday, August 19, 2013) that the committee is taking some documents to the Due Process Office.
“We hasten to add that while due process must be followed, it is the sole responsibility of benefitting universities to respect all the provisions of the Procurement Act. The meaning of your Committee going to the Due Process Office is that it is the one that will be responsible for awarding contracts.
“We want to make it clear that this will never be acceptable to our union. We believe that monies meant to fund projects in universities should be sent to the universities, just as it is the practice with TETFund.”
The union condemned allocation of construction of 2,500 bed space hostel for N1billion, instead of 3,000 bed space for N1.2 billion.
“We are worried that instead of allocating N1.2 billion each to construct 3,000 bed space hostels to the 10 Category 1 universities, N1.0 billion for 2,500 bed space hostel to the 16 Category 2 universities, N500 million to construct 1,250 bed space hostels in the 12 Category 3 universities and N250 million each to construct 625 bed space hostels in the 13 Category 4 universities, the secretariat has changed that to constructing 1,400 bed space hostels in 25 universities at the cost of N2 billion each. We see no rationale in this.
“Expending N50 billion to construct 35,000 bed space hostels across 25 universities will be ridiculously scandalous since the same amount can be used to construct 125,000 bed space hostels across 51 universities. The standard cost of building a bed space ranges from N200,000.00 to a maximum of N400,000.00.
“This is even more worrisome, given the tangential suggestions made by the chairman that only monies for refurbishment will be sent to universities, while the rest will be handled centrally,” the union said.
The union also condemned the exclusion of 22 universities from the allocation for refurbishment of laboratories and libraries and three universities from the allocation for refurbishment of lecture theatres and lecture rooms.
According to ASUU, 24 universities are denied allocation for construction of libraries and laboratories, while two are denied allocation for construction of new lecture theatres and lecture rooms. 26 universities are denied allocation for construction of hostel. What do you have to say about this as a student? Commet below
In a letter written to Head of National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy, NEEDs Assessment, and Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswan, by President of ASUU, Dr. Nasir Isa Fagge. The union insisted that based on the 2009 ASUU/FGN agreement and the January 2012 Memoranda of Understanding, MoU, signed by both parties, what was due for 2012 and 2013 was N500 billion, not N100 billion.
The letter read: “We observe that the Committee is so far mentioning only N100 billion. If the implementation is to be related to the funding requirements in the 2009 ASUU/FGN agreement and the Jan 2012 MoU, what is due for 2012 and 2013 is N500 billion not N100 billion. Only the provision of this sum will meet the immediate needs of the universities.
“Our Union is very apprehensive of the manner in which the sources of the initial N100 billion to be used for the stimulation of the process are shrouded in secrecy. We believe that monies that already belong to the university system should not be blocked and recycled.
“This will not only be counterproductive but will brew even deeper crises in the system. ASUU will not accept this.
“We are also concerned that a clear procedure or process for assessing the funds by the universities is yet to be defined. This concern is even more germane, given the statement of the Chairman of the Committee (during the last meeting on Monday, August 19, 2013) that the committee is taking some documents to the Due Process Office.
“We hasten to add that while due process must be followed, it is the sole responsibility of benefitting universities to respect all the provisions of the Procurement Act. The meaning of your Committee going to the Due Process Office is that it is the one that will be responsible for awarding contracts.
“We want to make it clear that this will never be acceptable to our union. We believe that monies meant to fund projects in universities should be sent to the universities, just as it is the practice with TETFund.”
The union condemned allocation of construction of 2,500 bed space hostel for N1billion, instead of 3,000 bed space for N1.2 billion.
“We are worried that instead of allocating N1.2 billion each to construct 3,000 bed space hostels to the 10 Category 1 universities, N1.0 billion for 2,500 bed space hostel to the 16 Category 2 universities, N500 million to construct 1,250 bed space hostels in the 12 Category 3 universities and N250 million each to construct 625 bed space hostels in the 13 Category 4 universities, the secretariat has changed that to constructing 1,400 bed space hostels in 25 universities at the cost of N2 billion each. We see no rationale in this.
“Expending N50 billion to construct 35,000 bed space hostels across 25 universities will be ridiculously scandalous since the same amount can be used to construct 125,000 bed space hostels across 51 universities. The standard cost of building a bed space ranges from N200,000.00 to a maximum of N400,000.00.
“This is even more worrisome, given the tangential suggestions made by the chairman that only monies for refurbishment will be sent to universities, while the rest will be handled centrally,” the union said.
The union also condemned the exclusion of 22 universities from the allocation for refurbishment of laboratories and libraries and three universities from the allocation for refurbishment of lecture theatres and lecture rooms.
According to ASUU, 24 universities are denied allocation for construction of libraries and laboratories, while two are denied allocation for construction of new lecture theatres and lecture rooms. 26 universities are denied allocation for construction of hostel. What do you have to say about this as a student? Commet below
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