Education
ASUU Threatens Industrial Action Over Non-Payment Of Members’ Salaries
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has threatened to embark on an industrial action if the 13 months’ salaries of over 1,000 of its members across the country are not paid.
Chairman, University of Jos chapter of the union, Dr. Lazarus Maigoro, who stated this in a statement on Saturday, in Jos, added that the Federal Government had also withheld the check-off dues of the affected members.
He accused Ahmed Idris, the Accountant General of Federation (AGF) for systematically denying the lecturers their remuneration, even after government and the union had reached an agreement on non-victimisation of its members following their last strike.
The chairman alleged that the affected members were being threatened to either enrol into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) platform, or have their salaries withheld.
He explained that despite the directives of President Muhammadu Buhari, that members of the union be paid their full remuneration, the AGF had denied the affected union members their pay, in complete violation of the terms of the agreement signed between the union and government.
Maigoro said that the office of the AGF had continued to feed the public and some sections of government with false reasons over the matter, such as incorrect BVN numbers, incorrectly spelt names and their sequential arrangement, among others.
He, however, added that such excuses were not tenable, because the bursary departments of their various institutions had submitted the names severally to the authorities, but the problem had continued to persist.
“ASUU wants to bring to the attention of the Nigerian public the deliberate, systematic and unpatriotic actions of the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, on the future of education in Nigeria.
“ Idris, from all intent and purposes, is bent on withholding the salaries of over 1,000 members of ASUU spread across the country, with more than 100 of such lecturers being members of our branch at the University of Jos.
“This is simply because they participated in the last strike and refused to enrol in the much discredited IPPIS, despite the non-victimisation clause signed in the Memorandum of Action (MoA) that led to the suspension of the strike in December 2020.
“Despite the directive given by Mr President to pay the salaries of all lecturers, the AGF has refused to pay their salaries, for periods ranging from four to thirteen months, respectively.
“More worrisome is the fact that while the AGF is refusing to pay the salaries, his staff are busy calling the affected lecturers and insisting they have to register with IPPIS before they are paid; some are even asked to forfeit a part of their salaries in order to be paid. So, it is very clear that this is a deliberate act on the part of the AGF and his staff.
“Many of our members at the University of Jos have not been paid salaries from February 2020 to date. How they are expected to go to the classroom and teach beats my imagination.
Maigoro also said that the inability of government to pay other allowances, such as sabbatical, visiting, part time and contract staff was also destroying the university system in the country.
“Apart from the refusal to pay the salaries of our members, the lack of payment of allowances of sabbatical, visiting, part-time, contract staff is further killing the federal universities in Nigeria, and this is all because of IPPIS.
“We hope that whatever decision the union takes, will not be misconstrued by the Nigerian public, especially seeing the seeming silence of the public and the government over the complete violation of our 2020 MoA,” he said
Maigoro called on President Buhari to wade into the matter, in order to save the affected members, as well as the future of education in Nigeria.
Federal Universities
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi (ATBU) 180
Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU) Zaria 180
Bayero University, Kano (BUK)- 180
Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE) 180
Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) 180
Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMinna) 180
Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) 180
Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State (FUD) 180
Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, Katsina (FUDutsinma) 180
Federal University, Kashere, Gombe State (FUKashere) 180
Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa State (FULafia)- 180
Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State (FULokoja) 180
Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State (FUNAI)- 180
Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa (FUOtuoke) 180
Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State (FUOYE)- 180
Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State (FUWukari)- 180
Michael Okpara Uni. of Agric., Umudike (MOUAU)- 180
Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola (MAUTECH, formerly FUTYOLA) 180
National Open University of Nigeria, Lagos (NOUN) N/A 180
Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna 180 Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (UNIZIK) 180
Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife 200
Police Academy Wudil 180
University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), Gwagwalada 180
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) 200
Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM) 180
University of Benin (UNIBEN) 200
University of Calabar (UNICAL) 180
University of Ibadan (UI) 200
University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) 180
University of Jos (UNIJOS) 180
University of Lagos (UNILAG) 200
University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) 180
University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) 180
University of Port-Harcourt (UNIPORT) 180
University of Uyo (UNIUYO) 180
Usumanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUSOK) 180
State Universities
Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU) 180
Adamawa State University Mubi (ADSU) 180
Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba (AAUA) 180
Akwa Ibom State University of Technology, Uyo (AKUTECH) 180
Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma 180
Anambra State University of Science & Technology, Uli 180
Bauchi State University, Gadau (BASUG) 180
Benue State University, Makurdi (BSUM) 180,
Medicine 200 Cross River State University of Science & Technology, Calabar (CRUTECH)- 180.
Federal Polytechnic, Bida 150.
Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu N/A.
Executive Director, CERF and convener, Mrs. Abosede Oyeleye, said the foundation gives hope and transform lives of vulnerable and indigent youths in the society.
Oyeleye, at the event themed: “Human Trafficking and Child Abuse,” held at Ikorodu council secretariat Hall Lagos, said the foundation has supported more than 10,000 children with various projects over the years, promoting healthier and safer communities through regular community awareness programmes.
Some of the schools present include Christ Army Academy Ikorodu, Living Legacy Schools, Jehovah Jireh Schools, Homat College and Edfan College, Ikorodu.
Zonal commander, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Mrs. Agboko Modupe, said NAPTIP is fully committed to the prevention of all forms of human degradation and exploitation through coordinated use of crime prevention and law enforcement resources to stamp out human trafficking, liberate and uplift the vulnerable, especially women and children.
Modupe, who is NAPTIP’s Assistant Director of Intelligence [NADI], said they ensure rehabilitation and effective reintegration of the vulnerable ones into the society.
She appealed to students, teachers and stakeholders to be mindful of people who speak ill of the country, to lure them abroad.
In an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt last Friday, these students are appealing to Federal Government (FG) to at least meet 50 per cent of ASUU demands so as to put an end to the incessant strikes.
Greatness Nnamdi-Ikpo, a third year student of the University of Port Harcourt, who is studying gas engineering, said that the ongoing strike was impacting negatively on the future plans of Nigerian students.
He said although he enrolled for a five-year programme in 2017, he was still in the first semester of the third year because of ASUU constant strike and the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
“My mates who left Nigeria to study abroad have graduated, some are in their final year and it seems those of us in Nigeria are forgotten.
“You don’t expect students who spent most of their time on strike and who also studied without properly equipped laboratories to come out with good grades or become experts in their fields.
“I am appealing to the Federal Government to bring back hope to Nigerian youths by putting in some efforts to meet some of the demands of ASUU, at least 50 per cent and this will also make the lecturers not to depend on students for their upkeep.
“I also plead with the government to employ young graduates to teach new technologies and innovations in our universities,” Nnamdi-Ikpo said.
Similarly, Ms Gift Nwafor, a student of the University of Calabar, who is studying education psychology, stated that the ongoing strike had caused students lots of harm than good as such she feels frustrated, adding that the strike action was leading some students into crime.
“Honestly, I am very sad and frustrated. My two siblings and I have been at home since February 14, 2022 and our rent for this year would soon expire without being in school.
“My greatest fear is that some of us have gone into crimes. They are into theft, raping and consumption of hard drugs, among others.
“I am appealing to the Federal Government and ASUU to consider our future and call off the strike so that we can go back to school,” Nwafor said.
Enugu Govt License To Establish University Of Medical Sciences
The National Universities Commission, NUC, has granted license to Enugu State Government, recognising the establishment of the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences, SUMAS, Igbo-Eno, Enugu State.
The license, issued to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, at NUC headquarters, Abuja, yesterday, was sequel to the enactment of the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences, SUMAS, Law, Igbo-Eno, Enugu State, on April 13, 2022.
Presenting the license, the Executive Secretary, NUC, Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, congratulated Gov. Ugwuanyi and the people of the state “on the establishment of the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences to be located in Igbo-Eno of Enugu State”.
The Law establishing SUMAS was presented to NUC by Enugu State government alongside the Academic brief and Master Plan of the new university.
The License recognized SUMAS as the second Enugu State owned University.
With the final stage of granting the license, Enugu State will now have a brand new, full-fledged, State-owned University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS), Igbo-Eno, Enugu State.
SUMAS, Igbo-Eno has become the 59th State University in Nigeria. Enugu State with two state-owned universities has now joined the league of states with more than one state university.
Reacting, the Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House, Enugu, Prof. Malachy Okwueze, who witnessed the presentation of the license to Gov. Ugwuanyi at the NUC headquarters, Abuja, said that “We can’t thank Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State enough for achieving this goal of providing the platform for increased access to quality university education for our teeming youths who struggle year after year to gain admission into the university without fulfilling their desires and dreams for university education”.
According to him “This is especially so for professional courses such as medicine.”
U.S Pledges To Boost Cultural Preservation, Promote Learning Among Nigerian Students
The United States government has pledged to support initiatives that promote learning and provide students with opportunity to share ideas in an engaging environment and promote cultural preservation efforts.
Acting U.S. Consul General, James Suor, said modern educational space would stimulate curiosity in the minds of children, support learning, facilitate reflection and promote common ideals between United States and Nigeria.
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