News
Strike: ASUU May Not Honour FG’s Call Again -President …VowsTo Sustain Ongoing Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says it may not honour further calls by Federal Government for a meeting on the way forward over the current strike by its members. ASUU The union’s National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, said this on the sideline of a news conference on the update of the union’s struggle to salvage the country’s public universities from deterioration yesterday in Lagos.
Our correspondent reports that the members of the union, under the aegis of ASUU, had on November 4, embarked on what it had described as a ‘total, comprehensive and indefinite strike’.
Members of the union were protesting the non implementation of agreements entered into with the Federal Government in 2009 and 2017, as well as funding and improved welfare for members, among other issues.
According to Ogunyemi, to ensure that the agreements were implemented,union had held series of consultative meetings with the government and written series of letters with little or nothing to the effect. He noted that it was against this backdrop that union resumed strike on November 4
“Since the commencement of this strike, we have had six meetings with agents of the Federal Government, with no clear commitment from government to resolving the issues we presented.
“Government appears to have adopted ‘keep them talking’ strategy while deceiving the public that progress was being made and that partial agreements had been reached between union and government.
“We want to say that government has continually and falsely raised the hopes of the Nigerian public on the state of duscussion with our union and we may not be interested in holding further dialogue with them until we see signs of commitment and sincerity in addressing the issues before them.
“Our expectation from a very responsive and sincere position is that by now, all outstanding issues would gave been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties. “Unfortunately, government is yet to show commitment and sincerity in addressing these problems,” he said. .
According to the don, on the renegotiation of Federal Government/ASUU agreeement, there are still unresolved issues about the leadership of the government team. .
“We have strong reasons to believe that the continuation of Dr Wale Babalakin as the head of the renegotiation with ASUU will not yield good fruit,” he said.
Ogunyemi said union had taken up its current project as a life time, adding that this was why dating back to the 1980s, union had remained consistent on what was of concern to it.
“If we miss education, we miss development as we will end up being enslaved the second time. “What is happening in this country now is that people are privatising everything, including education and before we know it, what happened to our primary and secondary education will happen.
“And these are some of the things we are supposed to be tracking and engaged in this society, if we want to make the change that we need. “Our conviction is the reason behind the prolonged strike and our members have the conviction that until we get education right, Nigeria will never get it right.
“Insurgency will increase, banditry, poverty, kidnapping, misery and other societal ills will continue. “Let me also state clearly too that our strike has nothing to do with politics or election, as is being speculated in some sectors of the society.
“We have never thought of aborting any election.
We do not want to create problem for this country but let government do the right thing,” he said. Ogunyemi said that the situation might have to rise to the point where Nigerians would have to tell government what to do with the country’s education system.
He said the union appreciated the understanding of the Nigerian students, their parents, among whom were many ASUU members and other people of goodwill since the resumption of the avoidable strike. “ASUU does not take your sacrifice for granted.
With your continued support and sacrifice, we can make the Nigerian ruling class come to accept the centrality of university education in improving the human condition.
“Qualitative and public-funded education is not an option; it is inevitable if Nigeria ever wishes to banish poverty, ignirance, sqaulor, insecurity, disease and curruption.
Meanwhile, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, yesterday in Lagos vowed to continue the ongoing six weeks strike that has grounded the public universities.
Speaking at a press briefing held at the University of Lagos, UNILAG, its national President, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi lamented that the Federal Government was not serious with the negotiations it had between the Union and the Federal Government representatives. Unilag
He urged the Federal government to demonstrate serious commitment to implementing the spirit and letters of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement as well as the resulting 2013 MOU and 2017 Memorandum of understanding. Buhari urges ASUU to end strike He said:
“The Federal Government should demonstrate serious commitment to implement the spirit and letters of the 2009 Federal Governmental /ASUU agreement. “It should also consider the implementation of the 2013 and 2017 Memorandum of Understanding, MoU it had with us.”
According to him, implementing these agreements would go a long way to reposition university education and bring a rapid transformation. “All we are asking for is the improved infrastructural development of Nigeria’s public universities to be globally competitive,” he explained.
You will recall that the Union representatives last week walked out of their meeting with the Federal Government representatives, making it the sixth meetings without a compromise between the duo since the commencement of the strike November 4, 2018.
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
-
Rivers1 day ago
Group Seeks Prosecution Of Clergy, Others Over Attempted Murder
-
Opinion1 day ago
Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
-
Business1 day ago
CRG Partner JR Farms To Plant 30m Coffee Seedlings
-
Sports1 day ago
Eagles B Players Admit Pressure For CHAN Qualification
-
Niger Delta1 day ago
NDLEA Intercepts 584.171kg Hard Drugs In Bayelsa … Arrests 559 Suspects
-
Rivers1 day ago
Four Internet Fraudstars Get Different Jail Terms In PH
-
Business1 day ago
Food Security: NDDC Pays Counterpart Fund For LIFE-ND Project
-
Business1 day ago
PH Women Plan Alternative Stew, Shun Tomato High Prices