…Kidnappers threaten to abduct seven more health workers
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called for a total overhaul of the police and other security agencies in Ekiti State over their failure to tackle kidnapping and other crimes in the state.
The Nation gathered that panic has gripped health workers in the state following a reported threat from suspected leaders of a kidnapping syndicate that seven more medical professionals would be abducted.
Addressing a briefing in Ado Ekiti on the abduction of an Associate Professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Dr. Olufemi Omisore, in Ido Ekiti, last Friday, ASUU Akure and Ibadan Zones also called for the removal of the heads of police and Department of State Services (DSS) in the state.
The union urged security agencies to deploy appropriate technology such as tracking device and the removal of power of negotiation from the public before the menace of kidnapping can be curbed.
ASUU also called on Governor Ayo Fayose to declare a state of emergency on insecurity in the state, saying “any further delay may spell doom for the state.”
The Chairman of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, branch of ASUU, Dr. Bola Oniya, said the security agencies saddled with the protection of lives and property have failed in the discharge of the statutory responsibilities in the last two weeks.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU) on Tuesday eulogized the late Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, Uche Chukwumerije.
Chukwumerije died on April 19 “after a long but gallant battle with lung cancer,” according to his family.
The President of ASUU, Dr. Nasir Fagge in a tribute in Abuja described Chukwumerije as “one comrade whom the trappings of power could not shackle his critical and courageous will.”
Fagge insisted that the deceased, whose burial has been fixed for May 22 in his country home in Abia North, “brought to bare the spirit of zealous patriotism, and vision of undiluted nationalism” during his stint in the National Assembly.
The ASUU chief said: “At crucial moments in the history of this nation, he played vital roles for the survival and development of the country.
“As Director of Information during the Nigerian Civil War, he distinguished himself at the age of 25 years as an outstanding strategist and astute communicator.
“And when the war ended on the ‘No Victor No Vanquished’ policy, Chukwumerije committed himself with the characteristic zest to the building of a united Nigeria where the rights of the citizens will be the fundamental concern of government.
“It is not surprising therefore, that Chukwumerije was subsequently invited by the country at other critical times as Minister and Secretary of Information to create platforms for vibrant communication and dialogue between government and the people of Nigeria.
“Serving variously on the Senate Committees on Power, Inter-Parliamentary Affairs and Education, Chukwumerije brought to bare on the hallowed chamber the spirit of zealous patriotism, and vision of undiluted nationalism.
“The Comrade Senator approached matters and people with an awesome openness and an unpretentious desire to learn.
“As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, his boldness and frankness facilitated the signing of both the 2009 Federal Government/ASUU agreement and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that resolved the protracted 2013 industrial dispute between ASUU and the government.
“Chukwumerije has certainly engraved his name on the sands of time as a comrade who remained true to the struggle.
“The union will surely miss him as one comrade whom the trappings of power could not shackle his critical and courageous will, his strength of conviction and admirably brutal sense of honour and sincerity.
“Comrade Senator Uche Chukwumerije presents to us the representation of the people at its shinning best.”
The Academic staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kogi state University chapter, has agreed to put to an end a 2-month strike.
The strike was reportedly embarked upon following a demand for the state government to reach an agreement with the union in 2009.
However, the action was suspended after the Student Union Government (SUG) had given a 48-hour ultimatum.
Showing appreciation to the management of the institution, Comrade Victory Anselm, SUG spokesman hailed the vice chancellor, Prof. Hassan Isah for his response to the resolve the strike.
Meanwhile, the school management has released an adjusted academic calendar and lectures resume on Monday, 27th April, 2015.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Lagos State University (LASU) branch, has appealed to the public to prevail on the government to reopen the university.
ASUU insists that their members and other workers were not on strike and, therefore, see no reason for the university to remain shut.
At a briefing in LASU, ASUU-LASU Chairman, Dr Adekunle Idris, said it was sad that over a week after the elections, management had not reopened the school, wondering the kind of effect it would have on students.
“Since the elections ended Saturday (April 11), we have lost another week of academic activities without any pronouncement of a resumption date. The union is disturbed by this disregard for academic calendar of the university. To later collapse the academic calendar without regard for the adequate coverage of the curriculum so as to push out graduates and have a record of so many convocations done is not in the interest of our students and the society,” Idris said, calling on the government to resume genuine dialogue with workers.
On Monday March 16, ASUU and other workers comprising Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff of Unions (NASU) drove the Vice-Chancellor, Prof John Obafunwa away from campus, accusing him of high handedness, disregard for due process, stalling members’ promotion, among others.
The leadership of ASUU and other unions met with government representatives the following day. They promised to look into their grievances and invite them for another meeting which has not held.
The LASU management shut the university on Monday, March 23, ‘ because of the elections’, and directed both students and workers to vacate the campus – a decision that the union described as illegal, claiming only the Senate had such powers.
Idris accused Obafunwa for failing to consolidate the huge infrastructural investment of the government in LASU by improving the university’s Internally Generated Revenue.
He also claimed that a letter they received containing worker-government resolutions from the March 17 purported to have been from the Office of the Special Adviser on Education could not be considered valid as it does not bear the signatures of the parties that attended the meeting.
Despite the March 16 crisis, Idris noted that the union was not on strike and its members have continued to teach and conduct research.
Idris said the union had it on good authority that management is trying to incite students against their agitation. He however appealed to parents to educate their children on their purpose in the university and caution them against being used as tools by certain elements.
“Information reaching the union has it that the university administration is trying to lure students into the matter between workers and Prof Obafunwa. We wish to state categorically that our members were teaching our students and the university was running up till Monday, March 23 when the recess was declared.
The Lagos State University (LASU) Branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, on Friday called on the governing council of the university to re-open the institution.
The university was closed on March 23 because of the general elections.
The Chairman of the branch, Dr Adekunle Idris, made the appeal at a news conference in Lagos.
He described the closure of the institution as illegal and unnecessary.
Idris said that the union had maintained that declaring an open-ended recess and aborting academic activities without approval by the senate of the university was illegal in a university system.
“In the tradition of the union, the union feels obligated to update stakeholders and the general public on developments in LASU.
“Following various acts of impunity, disregard for LASU laws and regulations and general ineptitude on the part of the vice-chancellor of the institution to move the university forward.
“The LASU community sent away the VC on March 16.
“While this was on, the ASUU members continued their normal duties, teaching, doing research and community services unabated.
“Surprisingly, the VC in the university bulletin, dated March 23, directed that in view of the forthcoming national and state elections, scheduled for March 28 and April 11, 2015, respectively.
“The management of LASU has declared a recess for both staff and students with effect from March 23.
“Students are therefore, advised to vacate the campus immediately. The date of resumption will be announced later.
“Till date, over three weeks after the illegal recess was declared, the university administration has kept our students at home.
“It is now six days after the last of the general elections.
“Worse still, declaring a recess for the purpose of elections when all other state universities in the country remained in session including Lagos State owned institutions is unexplainable,” he said.
Idris said that since the end of elections on April 11, the students had lost another week of academic activities without any pronouncement on resumption date.
“To later collapse the academic calendar without regard for adequate coverage of the curriculum just so as to push out graduates.
“And have a record of so many convocation done is not in the interest of our students and the society.
“We, therefore, urge all stakeholders and the general public to appeal to the authorities to re-open the University for Academic Activities to resume immediately.
The union said that government should also resume dialogue with all staff unions in the university.
“Information reaching the union has it that the university administration is trying to lure students into the matter between the workers and the VC.
“We wish to state clearly that our members were teaching our students and the university was running uptill March 23 when the recess was declared.
“Conflict between staff members and university administration which does not affect students’ academic activities is not the business of the students.
“Students are in school primarily to study, we urge parents and guardians and the general public to educate their wards well so that they are not used by the university administration for selfish interest.”
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the Kogi State University (KSU) has begun an indefinite strike, following an alleged delay in paying its members’ allowance as contained in the 2009 agreement between its national body and the Federal Government. MOHAMMED YABAGI (300-Level Mass Communication) reports.
When should workers go on strike to press home their demands? This is the question begging for answer.
Each time the Kogi State University (KSU) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) goes on strike, Anyigba, a sprawling Igala community, becomes a ghost town; commercial activities are paralysed because the university makes the town tick.
The ASUU strike is over the non-implementation of earned academic allowances as contained in the 2009 agreement between its national leadership and the Federal Government.
ASUU chairman Dr Abdullahi Musa Yusuf, confirmed that lecturers were on strike over the allowance, noting that the amount owed them is over N1 billion.
The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Hassan Isah, refuted the claim, saying the inability to implement the agreement was not the management’s or the government’s fault, but ASUU’s.
He said the computed earned academic allowances submitted to the management and forwarded to the government, was done last November. The management, Prof Isah said, forwarded the document to the government in January after it confirmed its accuracy.
The VC said the institution was one of the first to implement the 2009 agreement after it was signed, appealing to the lecturers to go back to the negotiating table with the government rather than embarking on a strike.
•Prof Yusuf showing documents to back ASUU’s claims
But, Dr Yusuf said the strike became imperative after the government allegedly reneged on its promise to pay the allowance.
He said: “We have made efforts to dialogue with government on this matter but we are getting cold shoulders from them. Those who held talks with us on behalf of government did not seem to take us serious. As I always say, strike is always our last resort. In as much as we are humans, we are also parents who would not be happy to see our children sit at home. But our hands are tied.”
Prof Isah said the government is committed to resolving the issue in the shortest time. “I appeal to the ASUU members to evaluate the cost of the strike. Management has not been resting on its oars in ensuring that the issue is addressed harmoniously. They should consider that Governor Idris Wada is an education-friendly governor. He just got the computed document and he would implement the agreement,” the VC said.
ASUU also claimed that its members were overtaxed between November 2011 and September 2012, to the tune of N104,934,709.99. In a letter with reference number KGS/BIR/PIT/VOL.I/317, ASUU wrote the Kogi State Board of Internal Revenue, seeking a refund.
But in a reply, the Internal Revenue Board said: “After careful study of your request, we discovered that, contrary to your claims, staff of Kogi State University were never over-taxed, particularly during the period of November 2011 to September, 2012 as claimed in your letter.
“Kogi State, during the period, including your counterparts in the state civil service were made to pay 2.5 per cent of their gross salary as tax, whereas, you (the lecturers) were paying tax based on the concession earlier granted (waiver of Peculiar Allowances). This did not translate to being over-taxed.”
The strike is biting residents of Anyigba hard. They are appealing to the lecturers to return to work.
A resident said: “Without the university, our commercial activities crumble. In fact, commercial activities suffer whenever the school is on strike or students go on vacation. Since this action is internal, we appeal to the lecturers to use other means to push their demands.”
•Isah speaking to our reporter
Mohammed Isah, the vice chairman of the university’s Okada Riders Association, said their business has been affected. He said: “Anyigba is a university town and our businesses here largely depend on students’ patronage. Without them, commercial activities are paralysed. We urge the interested parties to reach an agreement and call off the strike.”
Yusuf Mustafa, a business man, bemoaned the action, saying there had been no patronage for his trade since the strike started.
He said: “The effect of the strike cannot really be described in words. If I want to describe it, I can say that it is devastating. Our business has stagnated and we don’t know what to do about it. This strike is affecting us seriously.”
A recharge card vendor, Kenny Ayinde, said she used to sell more than 14 packs of cards of different networks when the school is in session. This is no longer the case. She hardly sells four packs of cards daily now.
“Business is no longer moving. You can see that some of our colleagues have also closed shops (points at some lock-up shops). We hope we won’t suffer hunger before the strike is suspended.”
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has alleged that there is a plot to ask the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, to proceed on terminal leave.
In a resolution at the end of a symposium on the 2015 elections signed by ASUU Chairman, University of Ibadan (UI) chapter, Prof Segun Ajiboye, the union urged Nigerians to be alert to the grand plan to scuttle the general elections.
Condemning hate speeches and advertorials, the union called for caution among politicians and parties.
ASUU urged security agents to do all within its power to ensure that it was not used as a pawn to destabilise the country but rather provide the needed security for the polls.
It noted that anyone who emerges from credible, free and fair elections must be ready to implement the 2009 agreement reached with the union.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities has alerted Nigerians of alleged grand plan by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to send the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, on terminal leave.
ASUU in a resolution reached at the end of a National Symposium on the 2015 elections and signed by Chairman of the union at the University of Ibadan chapter, Prof. Segun Ajiboye, asked Nigerians to be alert to the grand plan to scuttle 2015 general election.
ASUU warned the cabals to tread with caution as the Nigerians are too sensitive to be forced to succumb to tyrannical ploy.
“Having succeeded in using military chiefs to influence the shifting of the polls, the next plan on their agenda is to ask Prof. Attahiru Jega to proceed on terminal leave, while they bring a willing tool who will do their bidding to rig the elections in their favour,” the union said.
While urging Nigerians to stand up and resist elements of retrogression, ASUU noted that anyone who emerges from a credible, free and fair election must be ready to implement fully the 2009 agreement reached with the union.
ASUU which lamented the haphazard implementation of the agreement, said a purpose and focused attention on education will engender development in Nigeria.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has appealed to the citizens not to be frustrated by the polls’ shift, but to ensure they collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
Its President, Dr. Nasir Fagge, in a phone interview, urged Nigerians to ensure they use the polls to usher in new leaders that are interested in the people and the nation’s development.
Dr. Fagge noted that the challenge before Nigerians is how to ensure the emergence of a leadership with focus on the people and the nation’s institutions.
The 1999 Constitution, according to him, is not the solution to Nigeria’s problems.
He added that a new government should give the country a people-friendly constitution, which will not encourage people to steal, but guarantee equitable distribution of wealth and income.
The ASUU president noted that this was necessary since insurgency and terrorism in Nigeria were the results of denial of people’s rights.
Also yesterday, the Ibadan Zonal Coordinator of ASUU and Chairman of University of Ibadan chapter, Prof. Segun Ajiboye, said hiding under security ruse would not help pro-election postponement forces to frustrate the genuine efforts of Nigerians seeking change.
He urged Nigerians not to agonise, but organise towards ensuring that the new set of leaders that will emerge in the country are those with genuine interest for the masses.
“The decision is a serious setback for Nigerian democracy. But we should remain steadfast. This is time-buying game. It will not work. Let us organise and not agonise,” he said.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has intervened in the crisis rocking the multi-campus Osun State University, Osogbo.
The body called for immediate reversal of the indefinite suspension of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bashir Okesina, the registrar and bursar by the governing council led by its Chairman and Pro-Chancellor, Prof. Gabriel Olawoyin.
At a briefing at the weekend in Osogbo, the state capital, ASUU Coordinator, Ibadan zone and Chairman, University of Ibadan branch, Prof. Segun Ajiboye, said it was regrettable that the governing council acted beyond the scope of power granted to it by the law establishing the university.
He said it was “urgently necessary” to address the briefing, which was attended by some ASUU leaders, including the union’s national treasurer, Dr.Ademola Aremu, the ASUU chairman at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Dr.Oyebamiji Oyegoke, and his counterpart for Osun State University branch, Dr. Oluseye Abiona, to ensure sanity was restored into the university system.
Ajiboye, who insisted that only the Visitor, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, could suspend or sack Okesina, said ASUU had studied the law establishing the university and concluded that the governing council overstepped its boundary.
He warned that the governing council should not create unnecessary crisis in the institution, saying what was expected of the council was championing improved welfare of the university workers by ensuring that their salary arrears were paid to boost their morale.
In the interest of equity and fairness, Ajiboye advised that the status quo should remain within the university while the visitation panel set up by the government should be allowed to do its work.
The ASUU Coordinator said: “Since the crisis is between the management and the council what should be done is for both parties involved to submit themselves to the visitation panel and wait for recommendations.
“It has never happened in the history of any university that a VC was sacked by the council. The governance crisis is taking a dangerous dimension and what message are we sending across to the world. Prof. Olawoyin is laying a bad precedent in this case.
“Prof Olawoyin is diminishing Uniosun and Prof. Basir Okesina. What if after the conclusion of work of the visitation panel, the VC is not found guilty, what becomes of his person?
“So, ASUU is demanding immediate reversal of suspension and let the status quo ante remain while the visitation panel carries out its assignment.
“In the spirit of equity and fairness, the suspended VC should return to his office since the governing council is a party in this issue. Let the commissioner for education take over and save the university from further crisis and ensure there is sanity in the system. Let the law establishing Uniosun be respected.”
Prof. Jelili Oguntola Alamu has been appointed the Acting VC while the accountant now acts as bursar and another senior office in the non academic has taken over as the registrar.
