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Tag: el-Rufai

  • NULGE sues el-Rufai over mass sack

    NULGE sues el-Rufai over mass sack

    The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has dragged the Kaduna State government to the National Industrial Court, Abuja, to challenge the Kaduna State Local Government Councils’ order (Restructuring and Staffing Order) tagged: K.D.S.L.N. 2017.The order  sets the maximum staffing level for local governments and provides that the local governments, which have employees in excess of the maximum staffing level, be declared redundant.

    In the suit filed on behalf of NULGE by its counsel, Femi Aborisade, the union argued that the governor lacked the power to enact such law.

    Joined as defendants in the summon are the Kaduna State governor; Speaker, Kaduna State House of Assembly; the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice; his counterpart for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; the state’s Local Government Service Commission and Head of Service, respectively.

    The union wants the court to declare the Kaduna State Local Government Councils (Restructuring and Staffing Order) tagged: K.D.S.L.N. 2017  unconstitutional

    Part of the reliefs sought by the union is “a declaration that the 1st Defendant, being a civilian governor of Kaduna State, under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, lacks legislative powers and that the power of the 1st defendant are limited to maintaining the constitution and executing only the provisions of the law made by the state House of Assembly”.

    Meanwhile, NULGE has written to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, to declare a trade dispute between the union and the Kaduna State government.

    In the letter signed by Aborisade on behalf of the union, NULGE said 4, 410 local government employees across the 23 local government areas in Kaduna State are set to be declared redundant by the new order of the state .

    In a related event, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba in Kaduna, led a peaceful rally to protest the 22,000 primary school teachers’ sack in the state.

    The rally, which  made up of teachers from 23 local government areas of the state, other state chapters of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and Health workers union across the country, held in solidarity.

    Thousands of the protesters, led by NLC President, marched peacefully from the Labour House on Independence Way to the gate of the House of Assembly where they delivered their message amidst heavy security presence.

     

  • El-Rufai threatening labour leaders, says NLC

    El-Rufai threatening labour leaders, says NLC

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has raised the alarm over the safety of labour leaders in Kaduna State.

    It said the government was allegedly planning to harass and intimidate the union.

    NLC further alleged that the government wants to arrest and detain workers to prevent opposition to the planned sack of workers.

    The body accused the government of trying to arrest labour leaders using the courts, saying such attitude will only compound the dispute.

    NLC President Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who spoke at the National Executive Council meeting, added that the government will  inaugurate the national minimum wage negotiation committee soon.

    He said the body resolved that if the state’s labour leaders were arrested, all state chapters would embark on a solidarity strike.

    Wabba, who said the congress was not opposed to reforms, however, noted that they are protesting lack of transparency in the reform processes.

    The union alleged that mass sack of workers was one condition laid down by the World Bank to the state for accessing foreign loan.

    He said: “NLC is disturbed and uses this medium to condemn the information we have that the Kaduna State government has sought to get a court process to arrest labour leaders.

    “NLC observes that this is not in tandem with the principles of the rule of law and due process. The court has no jurisdiction over labour and industrial relations matters, especially the issues in dispute in Kaduna, which is related to the mass sack of workers.

    “Peace and security are important. When we have instability anywhere, it means inequality will continue to be exacerbated. Therefore, we are concerned with all of this, but more important are the issues of due process and rule of law. Workers have come under serious attack because those rights have been violated and we have evidences that such rights have been violated…”

  • Buhari okays El-Rufai’s planned sack of teachers

    Buhari okays El-Rufai’s planned sack of teachers

    President Muhammadu Buhari is backing Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai’s plan to sack 21,780 teachers.

    The teachers failed the “competency” test conducted by the state government. But the Nigeri Union of Teacher (NUT) insists that they should not be fired because “examination is not the best test of abilty”.

    Speaking during a special retreat of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on the challenges of education, with the theme: “Education in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects”, the President decried a situation where teachers were not different from their students.

    He lamented the bad condition of the sector, with 13.2 million children out of school.

    The President said: “To digress a little bit so that you know that I meant what I read.

    “Having been an orphan, I still feel that whatever I did in life so far was built by boarding school. For nine years, I was in boarding school, three in primary and six in secondary school.

    “In those days, teachers treat their students or children like their own children. If you did well they will tell you, you did well, if you didn’t do well they never spared the rod.

    “When I finished my secondary school, I didn’t work for a day; I refused to work for a day. I left home. I refused to work in the local  government, and then I joined the army. And the army of that time we went through all we went through up-to the civil war.

    “And then I listened to one of the Nigerians I respect; he said after his training here in Nigeria and the United States, he went to his alma matta, his primary school to see what he could contribute. I won’t mention his name but when he went, he couldn’t differentiate between the students, the children and the teachers.

    “And what El-Rufai is trying to do now is exactly what that man told me about 10 years ago. It is a very very serious situation, when teachers cannot pass their exams that they are supposed to teach the children to pass.

    “It is a very tragic situation we are in and this our gathering together to me is one of the most important in this administration,” Buhari said.

     

  • Still on El Rufai and Kaduna teachers

    SIR: I have watched with trepidation the drama in Kaduna between teachers and the governor. In 2007 it was same drama in Kwara State. I recall teachers with fake certifications in Ogun state. How about that skit between then Governor Oshiomhole of Edo State and a woman teacher that went viral.

    The pain is when the teachers who should know better are the ones that can’t spell their name.

    Whether El-Rufai sacks the teachers or not begs the real issues. We will simply move on, after all, we have moved on from the JAMB cut off mark drama. We continue with our tokenism educational methods and systems; one that justifies a person’s inability.

    How can the teachers be better than the system of which they are product?

    A sneak into the answer sheets of some of the teachers revealed the repeated flaws made by these supposed teachers. The question papers not only met the required standards, but were same the teachers ordinarily set for their pupils. The questions were also unambiguous and within the scope of the syllabuses. The marking schemes were exhaustible and comprehensive enough to accommodate all possible answers. Yet some of these teachers did not know the name of their state.

    However, apart from the dearth of basic instructional materials and infrastructure, poor remuneration of teachers, among other social factors that are facing particularly public schools in the country, one cannot not help but observe many teachers had shallow knowledge of the subject matter, poor command of the use of English language, poor knowledge of the examination techniques, as well disregard for correct interpretation of questions before attempting them.

    If the handwritings I saw of those teachers are correct; many illegible and their answers scripts are full of spelling errors; I cannot begin to imagine if they possess any manipulative skills for subjects involving calculations.

    While we battle the scourge of local terrorism, bad leadership, kidnap, health, and countless issues, there is need to come up with some measures that could help both the students and schools to improve on their performance in future examinations, by extension resuscitate a nation’s dying if not dead educational sector.

    Our students need to develop a good understanding of questions and also learn the basic rudiments of English language for better and clearer presentation of their answers. The sex for grade, bribe for certificate syndrome needs to be checked.

    There is need to ensure the appropriate textbooks in all subjects are procured and studied side by side with the examination syllabus, syllabus should be completed before the commencement of examination.

    Libraries need to go info-tech, not littered with books of 1914. While practical on-hands learning away from just examination should be incorporated.

    There is need to provide basic infrastructure, and conducive atmosphere in schools, only qualified and committed teachers who will teach their subjects effectively and guide students to become exemplary in their studies should be employed.

    Not like the teacher in Bauchi State (SUEB) that inherited his grandfather’s Grade II certificate and was teaching with it or university dons that have become experts in plagiarism, selling handouts pirated from other works.

    Beyond sacking the Kaduna and in fact Nigerian teachers, questions such as whatever happened to the old school inspectorates system should be addressed. If these and even more rigorous steps are taken, we may be saved the irony of teachers teaching nonsense or we will continually be tied to teachers that are nonsense and will churn out same.

     

    • Prince Charles Dickson, PhD;

    <pcdbooks@gmail.com>

  • NUT rejects El Rufai’s competency test

    NUT rejects El Rufai’s competency test

    The Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, have condemned the plan by Kaduna state government to sack over 21,000 teachers for failing a competency test conducted in the state for Teachers.

    National President of the Union, Michael Alogba Olukoya stated this in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital after the National Executive Council meeting of the Union on Friday.

    The Union in rejecting the competency test said that, not only did the test not pass the test and measurement standard, but also it was illegal and unconstitutional.

    “The Nigerian Union of Teachers totally condemn the decision by Kaduna State Government to sack over 21,000 teachers from its employment over purported incompetence based on an unstructured competency test. The Union strongly rejects in its entirety the purpose, intent, process and the outcome of the exercise and hereby call for the immediate cancellation of the results of the competency test”

    “It is common knowledge that teaching is a profession regulated by a statutory and competent body(TRCN) which is saddled with the responsibility of administering test and the registration of Teachers. To do anything otherwise by the state government in this regard is an infringement on the profession and the extant laws of the land”’

    Mr Olukoya expressed his disappointed at the undemocratic actions of the state governor, Nassir El Ruffai who it alleged have refused to heed the numerous calls by the Union and other organisations to soft pedal on the matter and toe the part of dialogue.

    “Teachers are democrats, Kaduna state government should respect the rule of law. They don’t have to wake up from comfort of their room and administer question for teachers in the name of interviews, it is never done. Whatever we have to do, let it be in the rule of law, we should do things that are legal. Anybody could call dog bad name because you want to hang it. The government of Kaduna has made up their minds to embarrass the teachers, to disgrace the teachers”.

    “There are rules that govern tense and measurements; measurement is a course
    of its own in education. When you are not a professional you are administering questions for teachers that are professionals, it is never done. The test that is being administered by Kaduna state government has not passed tense and measurement questions, there are not standard
    questions”.

    “Let me say this without being the modest. Governor El’ Rufai is one of the people that are outspoken among the governors today. But when it comes to democratic traits, we are disappointed. We have written him even before now. Nigeria Labour Congress has written
    him. There is no organization that has not written to Governor El’Rufai but here you are. And we now begin to look at his antecedents. Even if you want to bring a change, it has to follow
    procedure and what we are saying is that Governor Rufai has been written but he has not replied us”.

    The Union vowed to vehemently resist the planned mass sack of teachers of the Kaduna state government.

    “The Union wishes to reiterate its stand to mobilize any attempt to sack teachers based on any illegal process. We hereby, strongly advise Kaduna state Government to focus on organizing the necessary training and re-training of teachers through the relevant training facilities as it is incumbent upon the government to improve on the quality of teachers and school administration for enhanced productivity”.

    The Teachers also gave an ultimatum to states owing Teachers salaries to clear them before end of the year.

    “The Union totally condemn the inhuman treatment of teachers as is manifested in the unpaid arrears of salaries/pensions to teachers in Kogi, Benue and many other states ranging from 2-22 months, thus putting the teaming teachers in these states permanently in penury”.

    “The Union has decided against the background of all these unhealthy and unacceptable developments that enough is enough. There is no more time for rhetorics. The time is now for teachers to take their destiny into their hands to salvage the deteriorating condition that they have been forced into”.

    “The National Executive Council of the Union has therefore resolved that the governments of all the affected states owing salaries and pensions of teachers should offset such debts before the end of the year 2017, failing which the union will be left with no other option than to shut down schools in all the affected states” .

  • NUT warns El-Rufai not to sack teachers

    NUT warns El-Rufai not to sack teachers

    •Union threatens strike if governor dismisses 21,780 tutors

    The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Kaduna State has said it will go on strike, if Governor Nasir El-Rufai sacked 21,780 teachers.

    The union gave the governor a two-week ultimatum to rescind his decision or face an indefinite strike.

    NUT, at a news conference yesterday, said El-Rufai “shifted the goal-post in the middle of the game”.

    The Chairman, Comrade Audu Titus Amba, who read their letter to El-Rufai, said the pass mark for the competency test was pegged at 60 per cent, while those who score below this would be retrained.

    The letter, signed by the Assistant Secretary General, Comrade Adamu Ango, reads: “…that, the NUT, Kaduna State, as a responsible stakeholder in the education sector, though aware of the position of the law as it relates to the body empowered to regulate the teaching profession, cooperated with the Kaduna State government, under the mistaken belief that the government’s intention was altruistic, and aimed at enhancing the state.

    “However, with the benefit of hindsight, we now know better.

    “…that it was agreed by stakeholders that the pass mark be pegged at 60 per cent, while those who score below this be retrained.

    “However, in a display of bad faith, the government arbitrarily pegged the pass mark at an unprecedented 75 per cent.

    “Your Excellency, while hosting a delegation of World Bank officials, you announced that 21,780 teachers will be disengaged for not scoring up to 75 per cent in the competency test, while 25,000 will be recruited in their stead.

    “…that the NUT wrote an appeal letter to you, to rescind your decision, but you ignored us, and imposed your will against the consensus of bonafide stakeholders.

    “The NUT subsequently decided to approach the National Industrial Court to adjudicate on the issue.

    “However, contrary to all standards of decency in a democratic setting, and despite the service of court process on the government, you published a list of teachers who purportedly passed the competency test.

    “All the above leaves the NUT with no option than to serve the instant notice in compliance with the wishes of its members, expressed at the meeting of the state wing executive council held on November 6.”

  • Illegal detention: Court awards N40m damages against El-Rufai, Police

    Illegal detention: Court awards N40m damages against El-Rufai, Police

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has awarded N40million damages against Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and two others over the unlawful detention of the promoter of Lagos-based record company, Chocolate City Group, Audu Maikori.

    Justice John Tsoho ordered the award yesterday in a judgment in a fundamental rights suit brought by Maikori.

    Justice Tsoho held that the arrest and detention of Maikori between February 17 and 18, 2017, and again March 10 and 13, 2017 by the police, on instigation of the Kaduna Government was unlawful.

    The judge equally ordered the respondents (el-Rufai, Kaduna State’s Attorney General, Police Commissioner in Kaduna and IGP) to pay  N1, 430 to the applicant as the cost of instituting the suit.

    Justice Tsoho said the judgment should  not serve as a bar on Miakori’s ongoing trial before a court in Kaduna.

    He said the police possess the constitutional power to legitimately arrest suspects for allegedly violating law and order on the cyberspace.

    Maikori was arrested on allegations of posting “inciting” tweets alleging the killing of some Southern Kaduna students by Fulani herdsmen.

    The details of the tweets later turned out to be false, but Maikori claimed he obtained information from his driver.

    He later expressed regret over the posts and retracted them.

    The police subsequently obtained an order of arrest from a Magistrate’s in Kaduna with which the arrested him in Lagos on February 17, flew him to Abuja where they detained him and released him on bail on February 18.

    Justice Tsoho granted 14 out of the 25 prayers sought by the applicant.

    The judge said Maikori’s arrest in Lagos was unlawful, the police having failed to register the arrest obtained from a magistrate’s court in Kaduna in any court in Lagos where it effected on the businessman.

    He said: “The arrest was improper, irregular and wrongful. By necessary implication, the arrest was unlawful despite being released after 24 hours.”

    The court upheld that argument by applicant’s lawyer, Miss Gloria Ballason, that Maikori was arrested and detained between March 10 and 13 even when the police was aware of his respiratory health challenge, thereby violating his right to life and dignity.

    He said, “By virtue of exhibit 3 (medical report) an affidavit evidence, the police was made aware of the health challenge of the applicant. This fact was not controverted by all the respondents.

    “The attitude of the respondents threatened the applicant’s right to life. Right to life and human liberty includes right to human dignity and other things that make life worth living.

    “Under Section 46(1) of 1999 Constitution, as amended, the court stated that anticipated infringement of fundamental right is protected, adding that “it is appropriate for applicant to seek redress in court.

    “This court found and held that the conduct of police infringes on the applicant’s right to life, liberty, dignity, freedom, movement as enshrined in Sections 34, 35, 40 and 43 of the Constitution.

    “The judgement is without prejudice to the offences that the applicant is standing trial.

    “Social media cannot be  without social responsibility. It would amount to an invitation to anarchy to say that the cyber space is beyond control.”

    The judge noted that the Cyber Crime Act  was enacted for the control and regulation of the cyberspace.

    He disagreed with the position canvassed by some friends of the court (amicus curiae) to the effect that the social medial use should be left unhindered.

    The judge said there must be law and order in the cyber space.”

     

  • Kaduna IPMAN to hold election on Saturday

    Kaduna IPMAN to hold election on Saturday

    The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Kaduna state chapter has resolved its leadership crisis bedevilling the state chapter even as it is ready to organise a fresh election on Saturday.

    This was disclosed by the Chairman, IPMAN Caretaker committee, Lawal Danzaki during a press conference in Kaduna on Thursday.

    The chairman remarked that his committee which was also mandated to act as caretaker and organise elections had met with all the warrying groups and have resolved the crisis bedevilling the state chapter.

    According to him, “I want to assure our members that the crisis is over following intervention by the state governor, Mallam Nasir El -rufai, the police commissioner, as well as elders of the union.

    “The four groups have agreed to work with any one that emerges as the new chairman. We intend to hold our elections on Saturday 21st October, 2017.

    Read Also: Tension in Kaduna as fear of reprisal grips Igbos

    “35 positions will be contested for and every member who feels he or she is qualify to seek for an office can do so. Nobody will be denied the right to contest”, he disclosed.

    Danzaki also told members of the union that out of the membership they have in the register, 809 have been accredited for the election. Also, he added that, registration for new members is still on going.

    It will be recalled that, the state chapter of IPMAN had been enmeshed in leadership crisis for many years. Attempt to hold elections were been disrupted by several court ligitations.

  • No state can control its resources 100 per cent, says El Rufai

    No state can control its resources 100 per cent, says El Rufai

    Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Commuttee of True Federalism Governor Nasir El-Rufai said yesterday that demanding equal states for all the geopolitical zones is injustice to others because it will amount to trying to make “the unequal equal”

    The governor also said it will be difficult for states agitating for resource control to achieve 100 per cent control of resources in their states.

    To him, because states without oil are more, those with oil might not get the required vote in the National Assembly for their wish.

    The governor who spoke at an interactive session with Nigerian Youths in Abuja also said he was prepared to open the books for those willing to audit his security votes.

    According to him, his security vote is being controlled by the Secretary to the State Government.

    The governor who was responding to questions and suggestions raised by some of the youths said rather that make suggestions that will not stand the test of time, the youths should find a way of engaging the process after learning from history.

    He said: There is absolutely no way in the Nigeria of today that a state that has oil will have 100 per cent of the revenue. That is not possible because to get that document through, you have to pass it through the National Assembly and in the National Assembly, there are more states that have no oil than those that have oil and so, they will vote it down.

    “So, you better start proposing something that works for the entire country and not just you. Otherwise, it will not help. The greatest injustice you can do is to try to make the unequal equal or the equal unequal.

    “You cannot come here and say we should create nine states in each zone. Nigeria is not equal in terms of land mass, population, resources etc. so, you can’t do that. It is injustice trying to make the unequal equal because there is no where in the world.”

    He said those agitating for the scrapping of the Senate should realize that no member of the senate will vote to scrap the chamber, saying”Whatever you learn with some knowledge of history is incomplete. Unfortunately, in this country, history is not a subject in our schools. We started with a parliamentary system of government with the Queen as our leader, then, we became a Republic in 1963. You should not trace history without learning from the mistakes of the past or make recommendations without some sense of history’.

  • El-Rufai presents 2018 draft budget for pulic input

    El-Rufai presents 2018 draft budget for pulic input

    Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, yesterday, presented the 2018 draft Budget estimates to the people in line with his administration’s open governance policy.

    The measure is to allow them to make their inputs in to the budget before its approval by the State Executive Council tomorrow.

    El-Rufai is expected to present the final draft estimate to the Kaduna State House of Assembly on Thursday for consideration and passage into law.

    The government proposed to spend N201, 049, 213,385.77 with capital budget gulping N125,500, 774,460.66 and recurrent expenditure set at N75,548, 438, 925.12.

    Speaking during the presentation of the budget estimate  to Kaduna citizens at Umuru Musa Yar’adua Hall, Murtala Square, venue of the Town Hall meeting, el-Rufai called on the electorate to suggest projects they want the government to execute for them, saying the last two budgets for 2016 and 2017 were raised after citizens recommended projects not captured by the government.

    El-Rufai said the town hall meeting is a platform for the government to hear the people out on their yearnings and aspirations as a way to make them participate in governance.

    The governor said the government has made the draft budget available on the internet for people to study and make contributions.

    El-rufai, however, commended the State House of Assembly for passing the state budgets in record time since 2015 to enable implementation to commence by 1st of January.

    Uba Sani, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political and Intergovernmental Affairs, said, through the town hall meetings the 2016 and 2017 budgets were increased after input of citizens were captured before they were sent to the State House of Assembly for passage into law.

    According to Sani, “the 2016 budget was raised from N169b to N171b, an increase of 5bn, while the 2017 budget was raised from N189b to N215bn, an increase of 26 billion, to accommodate projects suggested by people at the town hall meetings.”

    The 2018 draft budget estimate of 201, 049, 213,385.77 maintained a priority for capital spending which has 125,500,774,460.66, reflecting 62.4 percent of the budget proposals. Recurrent expenditure is set at 75,548,438,925.12, which is 37.6 percent of the budget.

    The state’s Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, said the 2018 budget targets the completion of capital projects began in 2017 and delivery of public goods as outlined in the State Development Plan (2015-2020).

    Speaking on behalf of civil society organisations, Emmanuel Bonet, called for increase funding to State Independent Electoral Commission (SIECOM), to enable it conduct the forthcoming local government elections without hitches.

    Hon. Yakubu Barde, the Minority Whip and member representing Chikun Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), commended Governor Nasir el-Rufai for carrying the citizens of the state along by giving them a platform to air their views and criticisms, saying “when it comes to governance, partisanship must be set aside.”