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ASUP Threatens To Resume Suspended Strike
Polytechnic lecturers, under the umbrella of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), have threatened to resume their suspended strike over the failure of the Federal Government to fulfil the April 2021 Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed with them to end their strike action.
This is even as the lecturers warned that should they resume their suspended strike action, the government should be held responsible and at government’s failure to fulfil its own part of the agreement.
These were contained in the communique issued at the end of the union’s 16th National Delegates Conference (NDC), held in Asaba, Delta State, between December 6 and 10, 2021.
The lecturers, according to the communique made available to journalists in Bauchi by ASUP Publicity Secretary, Comrade Abdullahi Yalwa, demand the immediate release of the approved N15billion revitalisation fund and the 10 months arrears of the minimum wage owed members in federal polytechnics.
The union also called for commencement and conclusion of the renegotiation of its 2010 agreement.
According to the communique, “The delegates frowned at the government’s failure to fulfil its own end of the bargain resulting from the April 2021 Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed to end the ASUP strike action.
“The NDC renewed the demands for the immediate release of the approved N15billion revitalisation fund and the 10 months arrears of the minimum wage owed members in federal polytechnics.
“The NDC further resolved that, should the union resume its suspended strike action, the government should be held responsible.
“The NDC condemned the reckless breach of the 2019 Polytechnic Act (as amended) in any federal polytechnics from across the country, and the failure of state governments to domesticate the Act.
“For this reason, the conference called on the institutions to abide by the provisions of the Act, and also appealed to state governments to fast track the domestication of the Act to align the governance of their institutions with acceptable standards.”
The union commended the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for establishing six new Centres of Excellence in six polytechnics, tasking the agency to ensure that the centre is properly monitored with a view to ensuring the desired impact is felt in the sector.
Reacting to incessant attacks by bandits on educational institutions and kidnapping of students and teachers for ransom, the lecturers expressed concerns at the increasing security challenges facing the nation, which they noted has a direct bearing on the peace, order, stability, welfare and well-being of Nigerians.
ASUP, therefore, tasked the government at all levels to find lasting solutions to the protracted security challenges bedevilling all parts of the country.
While condemning plans by the Federal Government to increase the prices of petroleum products and electricity tariffs in the country, ASUP stated that such policies were anti-people which would further pauperise the citizens.
It, however, enjoined the government to cut down on frivolities and ostentatious lifestyle of political office holders and prioritise sectors with direct impact on human development indices in its spending.
The lecturers applauded the National Assembly for passing a bill seeking to abolish the infamous Degree/HND dichotomy and appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the bill, declaring that the bill when functional would assist the technical and vocational educational sub-sector to meet its mandate to the nation.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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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
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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.
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