The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi

  • Strike update: ASUU, Govt meeting fails to hold as union makes counter offer

    Strike update: ASUU, Govt meeting fails to hold as union makes counter offer

    The much-publicized meeting between the Federal government and officials of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) aimed at resolving the ongoing indefinite strike by the university lecturers yesterday failed to hold as scheduled.

    The leadership of the lecturers did not show up for the meeting which was scheduled to commence at 12.00 at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, but The Nation gathered that the meeting was put off at the last minute to due to counter offer received by the government from the leadership of the union.

    Addressing newsmen, Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige said the meeting had to be put off to enable the government team to consider the counter offer received from the union and to possibly get the nod of the Federal Executive Council on the some of the issues contained in the union’s demand.

    The Minister said: “The government as you know has made an offer to ASUU through the ministry of education and late yesterday (Monday) ASUU got back to us with their counter offer. By then, this meeting had been scheduled and the government side needed to deliberate on their counter offer before we can have a reconciliation meeting to further discuss areas of disagreement. That is the position right now. 

    “We are holding a government side meeting, while, the Minister of Education is also holding a meeting and we will meet later today and formalize our position. Tomorrow is Federal Executive Council meeting and there are aspects that we will need FEC approval to go on with. Thereafter, we will meet with the ASUU team either tomorrow evening or Thursday morning, which ever will be more convenient.”

    The President of the Union, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi also confirmed that the union has placed a counter demand before the government and expressed the hope that the union will receive a positive response from the government within the shortest possible time.

    In a statement made available to newsmen, the ASUU President said after due consultations with its members on August 17, 2017, meeting with the government, it has collated the views of its members and submitted same to the government.

    The statement reads: “Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) were forced to proceed on indefinite, comprehensive and total strike action on Sunday 13th August 2017 following government failure to implement issues, on which understanding was reached during the suspended warning strike of November 2016.

    “We have since held talks with Representatives of government and consulted our members nationwide in steps to be taken to immediately resolve the lingering crisis. Among issues in the dispute are registration of , fractionalization of salaries in federal universities and gross under funding/ non-funding of state universities, and arrears and implementation of Earned Academic Allowance. 

    “Other issues are the release of fund for the revitalization of public universities as spelt out in the 2013 Memorandum of Understanding, guidelines for retirement benefits of professors in line with 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, Treasury Single Account (TSA) and withdrawal of support for universities staff primary schools.

    “On Thursday, we met with officials of the Ministry of Education and Labour and Employment where it was agreed that the union should consult and “revert to government”. Following due consultations, we have collated the views of our members on the offers from the government in dispute in the letter of 16th August 2017. These views were submitted to the federal government vide our letter dated 28th August 2017.

    “As we await the federal government’s action on our letter, we hope that it would not be long before we receive a positive response which will bring an end to the dispute. Meanwhile, we thank all Nigerians, particularly our students (and their parents) and the media for their understanding so far in the need to speedily address the issues in the best interest of the Nigerian University System and for the overall development t of the country.”

  • ASUU hails JAMB for blacklisting CBT centres

    ASUU hails JAMB for blacklisting CBT centres

    The Academic Staff   Union of Universities (ASUU) has commended the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for blacklisting 48 Computer Based Test (CBT)   centres used for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    The President of the union, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, said in Lagos on Thursday that owners of the blacklisted centres should also be prosecuted.

    The 48 CBT centres were among more than 600 centres used for the conduct of the UTME held nationwide in May.

    JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, had on Wednesday announced the blacklisting of the centres for alleged involvement in extortion and “organised examination malpractice” during the UTME.

    Oloyede said the decision was taken at the end of an enlarged meeting with external examiners and other stakeholders in the conduct of the examination.

    He also announced the cancellation of results of 50,000 candidates for alleged involvement in malpractice during the examination.

    The ASUU boss said the development was a step in the right direction, describing it as “the way to go.’’

    “What JAMB has done in that respect is a welcome development and a good decision.

    “I will not expect it to stop at just blacklisting of such centres.

    “The leadership of the board should go a step forward by prosecuting owners of the affected centres in order to serve as a deterrent to others.

    “This measure will further ensure that the integrity of the examination cannot be undermined,’’ Ogunyemi said.

    NAN

     

  • ASUU seeks FG’s commitment on 2009 agreement

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) said it is optimistic that the Federal Government would implement the decisions of a new negotiation team on the 2009 agreements.

    The union’s National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, stated this on Friday in Lagos

    ASUU, in November 2016, staged one week warning strike over the non-implementation of agreement it signed with the federal government in 2009.

    The union was protesting the dwindling budgetary allocation to the education sector, from 11 per cent in 2015, to eight per cent in 2016.

    It also expressed regrets over the shortfall in the N1.3 trillion, earmarked for the revitalisation of Nigerian universities in 2013, by an arrears of N605 billion.

    The union equally decried poor welfare for members, among other demands.

    Ogunyemi said the union National Executive Committee on March 6, met with the negotiating team set up by the federal government, to look into the matter.

    He said, “We submitted a document to the Dr. Wale Babalakin-led negotiating team and we are told to give them some time to study the document and get back to us.

    “We hope to reconvene very soon and I think what has slowed down the process is the just concluded rehabilitation of the Abuja airport.

    “It is however expected that the negotiating team will extract our mandate from the federal government at the end of the whole thing.

    “The negotiating team should ensure that all agreements reached are implemented for the benefit of both parties, otherwise these new round of negotiation will not make any meaning.”

    NAN

  • ASUU to FG: Pay our salary arrears before July

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has urged the Federal Government to pay the outstanding arrears of its members not later than July 2017.

    The ASUU National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, stated this during a news conference at the University of Abuja on Wednesday.

    Ogunyemi said that ASUU insisted on a framework for paying any part of the “Earned Academic Allowances” (EAA) arrears.

    According to him, the Federal Government is owing academics in federal universities unpaid allowances of not less than N128 billion.

    He explained that the executive arm of government initially insisted that there would be no further release of funds to the universities until there was a forensic audit.

    “In view of this, the union rose from its NEC meeting at the Bayero University Kano observing that the particular issue of EAA cannot be meaningfully addressed unless within an agreed framework.

    “Hence the National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU resolved that all outstanding arrears of EAA should be paid not later than July 2017.

    “The decision of ASUU-NEC on the issue of EAA has since been communicated to the Minister of Education, Senate President and the Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund,’’ he said.

    The president also observed the non-release of the Operational Licensing of Nigerian Universities Pension Management Company (NUPEMCO).

    Ogunyemi noted that the company had met the minimum requirements for registration as Pension Fund Administrator (PFA).

    He said that the failure of PENCOM to release the operational license of NUPEMCO as a PFA had created the feeling of insecurity and loss of confidence among retirees in the system.

    “The non-release of NUPEMCO’s operational license in an arm-twisting tactic to frustrate our members and forcefully get them enlisted into some Pension-Fund Administrators (PFAs).

    “The PFA cartel appears determined to abort the process of NUPEMCO licensing which started more than four years ago.”

    He, however, insisted that such was unacceptable to ASUU, saying “it is against the right to choice”.

    The president noted that the 2013 MoU signed with the Federal Government on Funding for the Revitalisation of public universities had not been released as agreed.

    “The MoU stipulates that N200 billion would be released in 2013 for massive injection of funds to reposition Nigerian public universities for global competition.

    “Thereafter, N220 billion is to be released for subsequent five years, adding up to N1.3 trillion by 2018, not a single kobo has been released up till date.”

     

  • ASUU okays admission screening in universities

    ASUU okays admission screening in universities

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Friday said it was satisfied with the ongoing admission screening process in some universities across the country.

    The National President of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, made the remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    NAN reports that following the scrapping of the post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) by the Federal Government, the universities came up with fresh measures to screen candidates for the 2016/2017 admission.

    Ogunyemi, who is also a lecturer at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun, said, “I want to say that so far, we are satisfied with the screening procedure.

    “We cannot be in all the institutions at a time, but reports reaching us and from our observations, the universities are on the right track.

    “You see, no dictation from outside the universities can stop the institutions from doing this screening.

    “It is part of the procedures spelt out by the Senate of the various universities for admission of candidates.

    “Government can only provide guidelines such as quota for the academically less-advantaged areas, but the issue of merit is strictly for the universities to determine.’’

    He urged the universities not to lose focus in ensuring that only qualified candidates were admitted into the respective programmes in the institutions.

    According to him, the screening will also raise the quality of undergraduates which will transform to quality graduates.

    The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, had recently announced the scrapping of post-UTME while declaring open a Combined Policy Meeting on admission into the tertiary institutions.

    Adamu said it was unnecessary to subject admission seekers to another round of examinations after the UTME which was conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

  • How quality of education can improve – ASUU

    How quality of education can improve – ASUU

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) said the quality of tertiary education in the country could improve if the institutions are allowed to regulate their students’ admission process.

    The union’s National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos that if that was done, the quality of education would improve.

    Oguyemi spoke against the backdrop of the Federal Government’s decision to come up with a uniform guideline for admission of candidates for the 2016/2017 academic session.

    The Minster of Education, Adamu Adamu, had at a recent joint policy meeting to decide the cut off mark for students seeking admission into the universities, announced the scrapping of post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    The Post UTME is the second stage of screening usually conducted by universities for the final selection of candidates into the institutions.

    Adamu had said in a statement that he would sanction any university or tertiary institution found conducting examinations under any guise to admit students.

    He further directed tertiary institutions that had collected money from candidates for such purposes to immediately refund it or face appropriate sanctions.

    The minister said if any tertiary institution had already conducted any form of examination, such an exercise stood annulled.

    The ASUU chief told NAN that such directive encroached on the autonomy of the institutions.

    “I think government should give these institutions the chance to regulate themselves.

    “They should decide for themselves, the process they dim fit to admit their students.

    “The Senate of universities for example, should decide on the process they want to use in selecting candidates.

    “We do not think it’s right for government to decide the method of screening of the candidates, indeed, we want to attain some level of sanity and quality in the system,’’ he said.

     

  • ASUU kicks against Senate sexual harassment bill

    ASUU kicks against Senate sexual harassment bill

    …‘Bill violation of varsity autonomy’

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday strongly opposed the Sexual harassment Bill pending in the Senate.

    ASUU insisted that the Bill in all intents and purposes undermined university autonomy.

    President of the union, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, spoke at  a Public Hearing on the Sexual Harassment Bill, 2016 organised by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters in Abuja.

    Ogunyemi said, “As a global norm, universities and other tertiary institutions are established by law as autonomous bodies and have their own laws regulating  their affairs.

    “This includes misconduct generally among both staff and students, clearly articulated appropriate redress mechanism.

    “Any law or bill which seeks to supplant these laws violates the university autonomy.

    “In this particular instance, the bill violates the Federal Government of Nigeria and ASUU agreement of 2009 and as such should be rejected.”

    The ASUU President further said that the bill is discriminatory because it is targeted at educators.

    He noted that it is unfair to come up with such a bill especially when sexual harassment is a societal problem and not peculiar to tertiary institutions.

    Ogunyemi said that the bill is also a violation of Section 42(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

    He added that it is embarrassing that the legislative arm could seek to enact a law that violates the constitution.

    He noted that besides violating the constitution, the bill failed to take cognizance of various extant legislations that adequately dealt with sexual offences.

    The ASUU boss further faulted the bill, saying it failed to provide convincing evidence to show that sexual  harassment in tertiary institutions had attained a higher magnitude than other spheres of the society.

    He said, “The bill is discriminatory, selective, spiteful, and impulsive and lacks logic and any intellectual base by attacking the character and persons of those in tertiary institutions rather than addressing the issue holistically.

    “Furthermore  the bill is dangerous  and inimical to the institutions  as it contains several loose and ambiguous words and terms which could also be used to harass, intimidate, victimize and persecute especially lecturers through false accusation.”

    The National University Commission (NUC) on it own supported the passage of the bill in view of its relevance.

    Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie, noted while federal and state universities  had  administrative structures for handling grievances there was nothing wrong in having a legislation to help further.

    He said, “University Miscellaneous Provision Act gives them power to formulate policies and by-laws to guide them and most institutions have structures to handle these incidences.

    “However, there is nothing wrong if there is a legislation to add to what is on ground. We are only saying that universities are doing something about sexual harassment, which may not be enough.”

    Okojie, urged the Senate to increase the scope of the bill to cover primary and secondary schools.

    “The bill appears to have duplication of offences already created in our extant laws.

    “There should be holistic in approach to accommodate existing regulations in schools.”

    Okogie contended that beyond enactment of laws, Code of Conduct should be given to workers in schools, reiterating the need to be morally sound.

    He underscored the need for more awareness on the matter as well as the need to have dress codes in schools to prevent any form of harassment.

    He said that Senate is empowered to determine what a dress code should be.

    He noted that during a research, “we noticed that the issue of harassment is linked to suggestive dressing.”

    The Bill, among other things, seeks to offence of sexual harassment and imposes stiffer penalties on perpetrators.

    It also criminalises the act of neglect or failure of administrative heads of tertiary institutions to address complaints of sexual harassment within a specified period.

    The Bill creates a strict liability offence by removing mutual consent, as a defence.

    The prohibition and punishment, is targeted at tertiary institutions of learning where victims of sexual harassment probably feel most unsafe and unprotected.

  • ASUU plans ‘mass action’ against fuel price hike

    ASUU plans ‘mass action’ against fuel price hike

    The National president of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, on Tuesday mobilized members of the union for strike and mass action commencing from Wednesday to force the Federal Government to revert the pump price of petrol from N145 to N86 per litre.

    In a letter to ASUU members nationwide and titled: “Increase in pump price of Premium Motor Spirit to N145 per litre: Proposal for Joint Action with NLC,” the ASUU president said members are urged to fully respect Article 2 of ASUU Constitution which required them to work for the protection and advancement of the socio-economic interests of the nation.

    “Branch chairpersons are to conduct emergency congress meetings on Tuesday, May 17, 2016 to mobilise our members for the action commencing on Wednesday. All branches of ASUU nationwide are to comply,” the letter added.

    The chairman of ASUU, University of Ibadan chapter, Dr. Deji Omole, who read the letter to union members at the institution, said the chapter was ready for mass resistance to what he called “obnoxious and callous policy of fuel price increment.”

    Omole said the subsidy removal was the most criminal ambush by federal government to empower the rich and cripple the poor.

     

  • Mark urges FG, ASUU to implement agreement

    Mark urges FG, ASUU to implement agreement

    Senate President, David Mark, on Thursday urged both the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to respect the agreement that culminated in the suspension of the six months old industrial action in order to avoid a repeat of the unfortunate saga in future.

    Mark spoke when the President of ASUU, Dr. Nasir Isa Fagge, his Vice, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi and his predecessors, Dipo Fashina and Dr. Abdullahi Sule-Kano visited him in Abuja.

    He advised that the N200billion education fund lodged with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the purpose of addressing the ills in the universities should be used judiciously to curb the defects.

    He urged them to do all that is required to return education to its former glory.

    The Senate president restated that education remains the bedrock of any nation that must not be compromised or toiled with.

    Mark was quoted in the statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, as saying that “Education is the foundation of any development. No nation toils with the education of its citizens. We must make our education strong and functional. We must strive to lay a solid foundation for our future.”

    He sympathized with ASUU on the death of its former President, Prof. Festus Iyayi and canvassed for a qualitative education as a mark of respect for the late Iyayi.

    Mark said wide consultation and dialogue remains the best approach to any disagreement.

    Constant dialogue is the antidote to industrial dispute, he said.

    Fagge thanked the Senate for the mediation that led to the end of the strike.