News
NDU Lecturers Owed 15 Months Salaries
Executive Chairman, Rivers State Internal Revenue Service, Onene Osila Obele-Oshoko (middle) making an opening address during the media dinner organised in Port Harcourt recently.With her are Board member representing Rivers East, Sir Nelson Wali (left) and Board member Christian Ogbowu (right). Photo: Egberi .A. Sampson
Graduate assistant lecturers in the Bayelsa State-owned Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Amassomma, are being owed 15 months salaries.
It was also learnt that some professors who had been on sabbatical at the university had also not been paid their allowances for more than a year.
The professors were formally engaged “to assist the university in teaching and research.”
It was further learnt that the affected graduate assistant lecturers were duly employed by the authorities of the institution in October, 2013, to meet the manpower needs of the institution.
The National Universities Commission had in 2012 withdrawn accreditation for five courses of study, including Law, at the university, citing lack of qualified academic staff and adequate infrastructure.
The NUC also placed 22 other programmes of the school on suspension pending the time the authorities would satisfy the requirements to run such courses.
Sources said all pleas to Governor Seriake Dickson by the unpaid teachers, the school’s Governing Council and the NDU chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities for their salaries to be paid had been unsuccessful.
The governor was said to have complained that the Governing Council did not inform his office before issuing appointment letters to the lecturers.
A source, who pleaded anonymity, said, “In August last year, the graduate assistants wrote to the governor and appealed to him to pay them their salaries but he refused.
“Even cries by these graduate assistants that they are battling with rough condition of working without salaries which have brought them untold hardship did not move the governor.”
He said the graduate assistants had been working in spite of Dickson’s hard-line posture.
Dickson had during his tour of the university in March 2014 lamented the N6bn annual recurrent expenditure of the NDU.
He also complained that the school’s N500m monthly recurrent expenditure was not also sustainable, asking the institution’s authorities to “reorder your priorities.”
NDU’s chairman of ASUU, Beke Sese, confirmed that the graduate assistants and the professors on sabbatical had not been paid their emoluments.
He described the development as sad, saying the university did no wrong for “deciding to retain bright alumni to encourage growth of manpower.”
Sese said intervention by the academic body, including meetings with the governor’s Special Adviser on Treasury Matters, Timipre Seipulo, was not successful.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has tasked troops of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD to dominate the battlespace and intensify offensive operations against kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements in the North Central region.
Shaibu gave the directive yesterday during his maiden operational visit to the Headquarters, Joint Task Force North Central (JTF-NC), at Sobi Barracks, Ilorin.
This is contained in a statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, in Abuja, yesterday.
Shaibu said the Nigerian Army would remain resolute in its constitutional responsibility of safeguarding lives and property, stressing that troops must sustain pressure to decisively deny criminal elements freedom of action.
He assured personnel of continued deployment of combat enablers and operational resources to enhance clearance operations and dismantle criminal hideouts across Kwara and Niger states.
The COAS reaffirmed his commitment to troop welfare, noting that improved welfare remained critical to sustaining morale, operational effectiveness and combat readiness.
He urged the troops to remain disciplined, professional and loyal to the Constitution and the democratically elected government.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander, JTF-NC Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD, Maj.-Gen. Yakubu Yahaya, commended the COAS for his strategic leadership and support.
Yahaya assured that troops would remain committed and steadfast in restoring peace and stability in the region.
The Nigerian Navy says it is expanding training and infrastructure to address emerging security threats and strengthen operational efficiency across formations and units nationwide.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, spoke during the inauguration of projects at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS) in Onne, Rivers as part of activities marking the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary.
Abbas, represented by the Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Rear Adm. Ebiobowei Zipele, said the projects reflected significant progress made by the navy since its establishment in 1956 from the British Royal Navy.
“Training and infrastructure have improved significantly to meet contemporary security challenges and fulfil the navy’s constitutional responsibilities.”
According to him, the anniversary provides the navy an opportunity to reflect on its achievements and contributions over the past seven decades.
Projects inaugurated included a remodelled female trainees’ hostel accommodating more than 500 occupants and an expanded golf course upgraded from one to nine holes.
Others were the NNBTS fuel dump, Chief Boatswain’s Mate House, renovated pharmacy department and a new theatre block at the Naval Medical Centre, Onne.
Abbas described the new theatre as a major milestone for the navy’s medical services.
“Previously, injured personnel requiring surgeries were referred outside the facility.
“With this theatre, surgeries can now be conducted within the base.’’
He added that a 30KVA inverter had also been installed to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply at the training school.
The naval chief assured officers, ratings and trainees that the navy leadership remained committed to their welfare and wellbeing.
“These infrastructure upgrades show the commitment of the Chief of Naval Staff to addressing operational and welfare challenges promptly,” he said.
In addition, NAVTRAC distributed educational materials to pupils of Community Primary Schools One and Two, Ogale, in Ebubu-Eleme area of Rivers.
Items distributed included exercise books, school bags and other writing materials as part of the navy’s civil-military engagement initiative.
Zipele said the outreach was designed to strengthen relations between the navy and host communities while supporting children’s education.
“Education remains critical to national growth and youth empowerment. Some of these pupils may eventually serve in the Nigerian Navy,” he said.
He noted that the initiative demonstrated the navy’s commitment to educational development, peace, security and sustainable community relations.
Zipele urged the pupils to remain disciplined, focused and committed to their studies while embracing patriotism, integrity and hard work.
He thanked the Ebubu community for its continued support for the naval training command headquarters and the navy.
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