News
ASUU Strike: NANS Suspends Protest …Awaits Outcome Of Senate, Vision Africa Intervention
National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has resolved to suspend its planned shutdown of political activities in the country over the continued Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike pending the outcome of mediation by the President of Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan.
NANS’ new decision came on the heels of an interface between the Senate, leaders of the students union and the convener of the meeting, a non-governmental organisation, Vision Africa, yesterday, in Abuja.
The students union through its National President, Sunday Asefon, had threatened to shutdown Abuja and ensure that political parties did not hold their scheduled primaries this month.
The Convener of the Vision Africa, Bishop Sunday Onuoha,led them to meet with the leadership of the Senate.
Speaking at the meeting in the National Assembly, Asefon, said they planned to shutdown Abuja because while Nigerian students were shut out from school, the Minister of State for Education, Hon Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, and his Labour counterpart, Dr Chris Ngige,were busy pursuing their presidential ambitions and preparing for their party primaries.
“We decided that no political party will hold her primary election in Abuja because the issue of the strike action embarked upon by ASUU for months has been neglected. But with the intervention of Vision Africa through Bishop Sunday Onuoha, we want ASUU and the Federal Government to go back to the negotiation table so that we can go back to school. The Senate has done it before, we are ready to allow for such an atmosphere,” Asefon said.
The Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, who promised that the National Assembly would intervene, said the 2009 agreement shouldn’t have been signed in the first place, knowing that the terms of the agreement would be difficult to implement.
“There is no way the government can handle that agreement. It is a contentious issue because some people only wanted ASUU to go back to the classes. The Federal Government must always remain truthful because I don’t see how they will get that money.
“We must be truthful. We sit here because we were able to go to school, and no nation can develop without giving education to its citizens. You have to educate the people and get them ready. Education institutions generally must be alive to the reality. We must be ready to spend on educating our citizens. Malaysia and other countries are developing because they invest in education.
“We are going to intervene. We will bring ASUU and the Federal Government back to the negotiating table. Stop the planned protest so that we can bring everybody to the table. Give us a chance to do that believing that we are going to find a solution. We will start the negotiation again,” Lawan assured.
He went further: “Don’t disrupt the activities of political parties. We don’t need to do that. Let’s avoid confrontation. When we emphasise consultation, it is much easier for us. We will be together with you. We have taken the prayer, we have endorsed it, and we will work for it.
“Let me call on ASUU to suspend this 12 weeks strike period. There is no way they can negotiate when they are on strike. I want to promise you that we will push from the legislative angle so that together, we will resolve the issue.
“We are not happy that you are at home. This is a country where we expect youths to be very educated because we are supposed to export skills and labour to other countries”.
The Senate president commended the convener of the Vision Africa for his efforts.
“I want to thank Bishop Sunday Onuoha for his patriotism. I hope you will get a national honour for your patriotism and statesmanship. We thank you for intervening. The bishop is here because he doesn’t want you to go the wrong direction. For him to be a shepherd, you must give him that opportunity. Allow us to go on consultation and not confrontation,” Lawan added.
In his remarks, Bishop Sunday Onuoha said if one pretends a boil is not there, it does not go away by being ignored.
The bishop of the Methodist Church said the issues raised in the 2020 FGN/ASUU Memorandum of Action (MoA) declared on March 14, 2022, can be laid out, reassessed, and revisited with a view to possibly implementing what was agreed on.
By: Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, has teamed up with a renowned hospital group in Port Harcourt, the Meridian Hospitals, which is in partnership with the Pilgrims Health Foundation, to carry out a one-day medical outreach last Tuesday.
The free treatment scheme took place at Oromenike Government Girls Secondary School in D-Line, Port Harcourt, with over 100 persons accessing free treatments, including free eye-glasses and booking for eye surgeries.
Other areas of treatment included general health consultations and treatment; blood pressure and sugar level testing; malaria testing and treatment; free prescriptions; preventive health talks focusing on hygiene, maternal health, and nutrition.
The scheme was conducted under the theme: ‘Bringing Healthcare to the Community.’
Newsmen who visited the venue of the scheme found that enthusiastic beneficiaries had thronged the area as early as 7a.m. After setting up, the medical team began attending to the patients.
Mr. Jerry Onwuso, a 63-year-old patient, who was first to see eye doctors and got eye glasses and drugs, told newsmen that he was pleased with the medical intervention.
He made it clear he did not pay any money to get all the treatments and glasses, and pleaded that the scheme be sustained.
Another patient, Loveth Sam, expressed satisfaction with the scheme and appealed to the sponsors to continue to increase the benefits.
Throwing some light on the scheme, Mr. China said he worked in Meridian Hospitals as a Lab. Scientist 19 years ago, but resigned because he could not bear to see patients struggling for life because they had no money to pay for treatment.
He said he came back to help extend free medical treatment to the less privileged.
Sources said China was always having issues with the hospital authorities when he would insist on critical patients being allowed to be treated first, with or without money.
Years later, China, who now goes by a brand name, the Mayor of Housing, returned to the Meridian Hospital headquarters to support free medical scheme.
He also went the next day to the headquarters of Meridian, after the one-day medical outreach, to give cash gifts and palliatives to workers he met when he worked there but had remained in service since he left.
He encouraged them to continue to give their all to humanity through the hospital. The Mayor of Housing called most of them by name and a cloud of emotions descended on them during the reunion.
Appreciating the gesture, the Founder and Chief Medical Director, Dr. Iyke Odo, said China had always manifested hard-work, ambition, and impulsive giving.
According to him, the then young bright boy was full of humanity, kindness, love, and made friends easily, adding that “not everybody that gives is a giver. The difference is that givers are given to give.”
Dr. Odo used the opportunity to call on governments to review Nigeria’s health insurance system and make it work in Nigeria to save lives.
He said it was sad watching critically sick persons abandoned because they did not have money for treatment.
He also condemned harsh tax and electricity tariffs whereby facilities like his now pay N12 million instead of N500,000 few years back.
He wondered why hospitals were being made to pay tariffs like oil companies, citing many other countries where medical facilities were placed on low rates and tariffs so they could charge moderate fees from patients.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
