Niger Delta
ASUU Charges Stakeholders On Mission To Rescue University System
The Benin Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on critical stakeholders to join the union in its mission of rescuing the dying university system.
The ASUU Benin Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Fred Esumeh, made the appeal on Monday, during a news conference in Benin.
Esumeh pleaded with all well-meaning Nigerians to wake-up and join the union in salvaging what remained of the country by repositioning the universities to become globally competitive.
This, the zonal official, said would enable the system produce the manpower required to jump-start the re-emergence of a technological and economic power.
“On February 14, ASUU, after more than a calendar year of exploring all available and legitimate means in its effort to compel the Federal Government of Nigeria to honour the terms of the Memorandum of Action it signed with the Union in December 2020, was left with no option, other than to declare a four-week roll-over strike.
“But at the expiration of the four weeks when the government created the impression that it required more time to address the issues at stake, ASUU rolled over the strike for another eight weeks to provide the Federal Government with more than sufficient time to comprehensively sort out the patriotic demand by the union.
“The representatives of government continued to toy with the future of our children, students and nation, such that 57 days after they were sent packing from the institutions, the resolution of the principal outstanding issues of the deployment of the university “Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) and the signing and implementation, and the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement remained at the level of mere proposals, fruitless and empty assurances.
“Yet, these are issues that could have been adequately resolved in weeks by any well-meaning and serious-minded government,” said the ASUU leader.
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The Edo State Government has defended its performance in office so far, saying ongoing projects in infrastructure, healthcare, education and security showed clear progress despite criticism from the opposition.
Commissioner for Information and Strategy in the State, Prince Kasim Afegbua, stated this at a news conference held in Benin on Wednesday.
Afegbua said the Statement Governor, Monday Okpebholo, had been focused on addressing inherited challenges rather than engaging in propaganda.
He described the recent protests against the government as driven by “faceless actors,” questioning the credibility of those behind the protests.
The Commissioner also dismissed claims that the state was stagnating.
“The current Edo narrative is cheering news to the average Edo mind. We are not into propaganda. What we are doing, you can see for yourselves”, he said.
Afegbua anchored the government’s defence on infrastructure, pointing at the ongoing and completed road projects across the state.
He also listed the near-completion of the Ramat Park flyover and a second flyover at Aduwawa Junction as some of the new infrastructural developments being carried out by the Okpebholo administration.
He also cited rehabilitation works on Sapele Road, previously abandoned, as well as multiple urban and rural road projects, spanning Edo South, Central and North Senatorial Districts.
“In 18 months, we can beat our chest that the Governor has done so much to advance critical infrastructure”, he said, noting that road construction was being accelerated despite early rains affecting timelines.
Afegbua also highlighted interventions in the education sector, stating that about 6,500 teachers had been recruited, alongside rehabilitation of dilapidated schools previously lacking basic facilities, such as desks, roofs and toilets.
“Today, you can go around and see the difference,” he said.
The Commissioner added that completed school projects had risen from 68 at the administration’s one-year mark to nearly 80.
In healthcare, he said the state government had expanded primary healthcare access by already constructing 75 centres, with a target of 160 within four years.
He said many of the facilities had been equipped to deliver immediate services at the grassroots, while work had resumed on Stella Obasanjo Hospital which, he said, was inherited at 55 per cent completion.
“We are strengthening primary healthcare because it is the first point of contact for our people,” he said.
On higher education, Afegbua disclosed that the state recently committed N2 billion to infrastructure development at Edo State University, Iyamho, while also increasing its monthly subvention from N100 million to N250 million.
Government, he said, had also provided buses to support students’ mobility.
Beyond infrastructure and social services, he pointed at the economic support initiatives, including a N1 billion interest-free loan scheme for market women and another N1 billion set aside for students’ bursaries.
All these, he noted, were aimed at easing economic pressure and expanding access to education.
While acknowledging that security incidents had shifted from urban centres to the hinterlands, Afegbua, however, maintained that overall security had improved significantly in the state.
“The way kidnapping was rife when we took over, I think it has dropped maximally,” he said, citing bush-combing operations, arrests and destruction of criminal hideouts.
He also stated that government had procured over 100 Hilux vans and 300 motorcycles for security agencies.
Similarly, he said government had supported the local vigilante operations and established a rapid response mechanism for road maintenance and emergency interventions.
Afegbua further said that local governments had been empowered with heavy-duty equipment to open rural roads and improve mobility, describing the decentralised approach as critical to grassroots development.
“We need the cooperation of everyone. Security is not just about government; it is about collective responsibility,” he added.
Responding to concerns about transparency, particularly around contract costs, the commissioner insisted that all projects followed due procurement processes and were approved by the State Executive Council.
“If you check with the Ministry of Works, you can always get the cost of those contracts,” he said, stressing that the administration was prudent in resource management.
The Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has urged eligible youths in the state to take advantage of the ongoing Nigerian Army 91 Regular Recruit Intake by enlisting in the Army.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Dr. Patrick Ebojele, in Benin.
According to the statement, the call followed the scheduled visit of the Nigerian Army sensitisation team to the state from April 8 to April 14.
It noted that the visit is aimed at engaging, guiding and supporting prospective applicants through the recruitment process.
The Governor, however, urged qualified young men and women in the state to participate in the exercise.
“The opportunity offers a pathway to meaningful employment, national service and personal development through the Nigerian Army recruitment process.
“I urge Edo youths to come forward in large numbers to improve the state’s participation and meet its national quota in the Army recruitment exercise.
“It is a chance for young Edo people to build disciplined and purposeful careers,” he said.
Okpebholo also urged parents, guardians, traditional rulers, community leaders, religious institutions and youth organisations to mobilise and encourage eligible candidates within their communities to take part in the exercise.
He added that interested applicants should visit the official Nigerian Army recruitment portal for full details on eligibility, requirements and application procedures.
The Governor further advised candidates to ensure that all necessary documents are complete before presenting themselves at designated sensitisation centres during the stated period.
“The Edo State Government remains committed to creating opportunities for youths and calls for collective support to ensure the success of this exercise,” he said.
Baring any last minutes changes in plans, Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is set to pay official State visit to Bayelsa State today.
A statement by the State Government said during the State visit, the President would inaugurate a number of projects, including the new 60mw gas-powered turbines procured and installed by the present administration.
Meanwhile, the State Governor, Douyi Diri, who spoke during an Easter Sunday service at the St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Sampou Community, his hometown, in the Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of the State, said the presidential visit was significant and offered an opportunity for citizens of the State to showcase their famed hospitality and warmth to guests.
He stated that the projects to be inaugurated during the one-day visit were central to the state’s economic development and transformation.
The Governor prayed for sustained unity across the state, noting that peaceful coexistence remains a defining trait of the Ijaw people.
“I call on all Bayelsans to come out en masse to welcome Mr. President and accord him the hospitality that we are known for. It is part of our culture as Ijaw people to warmly receive our guests.
“We are known for peace and unity. Let us continue to uphold these values as we move forward as one people”, he said.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to the state’s development, Diri said it will continue its infrastructural drive to place the State on the map of investment, tourism, and economic development, describing the 60-megawatt gas turbine project to be inaugurated as critical to improving electricity supply in the state.
The Governor also underscored the significance of the 630-metre Angiama-Oporoma bridge, saying it was a historic milestone for the people of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.
“Power is a major driver of economic growth, and this project is key to our development agenda
“For over 60 years, our people in Southern Ijaw have had no road access to Yenagoa. The Angiama-Oporoma bridge changes that reality.
“These are legacy projects that will positively impact our people and open up Bayelsa for greater opportunities”, the Governor added.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
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