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Respect Court Order, Resume Work, FG Tells ASUU

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The Federal Government has advised the Academic Staff Union of Universities [ASUU] to resume work and stop taking laws into its hands.
The government said the eight months old strike by ASUU was in defiance of the interlocutory injunction by the National Industrial Court [NICN], which restrained the union from further action.
In a statement in Abuja, yesterday, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige said a new directive by ASUU, exhorting its members to continue with strike action is an unwarranted lawlessness, adding that “the Federal Government strongly frowns at this”.
The minister, in a statement by Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Labour and Empliyment, Olajide Oshundun, accused the leadership of the union of misinforming and misleading its members and warned of consequences of contempt of court order.
According to him, “The union is dishonest and misleading its members and the general public, that it has filed an appeal as well as a stay of execution of the order of National Industrial Court on September 21, 2022, though it has none of this.
“Rather, ASUU only filed an application for a permission to appeal the order. It also attached to the application, a proposed notice of appeal which it intends to file if the leave to appeal is granted. The application for a stay of execution as of this moment, has not even been listed for hearing.Where then is ASUU coming from?
“It is therefore contemptuous, dishonest and misleading for the union to tell its members that it has not only appealed the interlocutory injunction by the National Industrial Court, directing it to call off strike and return to work, but that it also has a stay of execution’’.
The minister  once again called on the union to respect the court order and return to work while negotiations are concluded on the remaining issues in contention.
The statement also denied reports that the minister walked out of the meeting between the House of Representatives and ASUU last Thursday, 29th September, 2022, explaining that the minister left the meeting to attend to other pressing matters with the permission of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila after making his presentation.
It stated that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation was earlier granted such permission by the Speaker.
The statement further recalled that at that meeting, Senator Ngige addressed the two major issues over which ASUU is still on strike.
“On renegotiation of salaries and wages of lecturers, I sympathize with ASUU just like other Nigerian workers. The economy is bad and hard time, biting hard on everybody. ASUU deserves no blame”.
They know that many times during reconciliation, I said that left to me, this is what lecturers will get. I know the enormity of the work they do and have brothers who are also lecturers.
“The Briggs Committee was the product of reconciliation of my ministry,which had to move to the ASUU’s direct employers, Ministry of Education for a Collective Bargaining Agreement, so we can arrive on what is good to be paid to ASUU, subject to approval by the President.
“The President has a Presidential Committee on Salaries and Wages chaired by the Minister of Finance, with myself as co-chair and other members – National Salaries Income and Wages Commission, Budget Office etc. Every MDA whether drawing from the treasury or not, must pass through this committee on any issue concerning salaries for approval, before transmission to the President. The report of the Briggs Committee did not unfortunately pass this route”, the statement added.
The minister revealed that when the issue of payment platform – UTAS came up on January 9, 2020, he was the one that persuaded the President to give the platform a trial in the spirit of Executive Order 3 and 4.
He said, “The SGF supported me. That was how I took it upon myself to write to all the parties, Communication and Digital Economy, NITDA, ASUU and others. At a point, I had to spend three and half hours at the Office of the Accountant General, while UTAS was on demonstration because we must support this platform that promised to save us foreign exchange.
“If the system is good, we adopt it for the whole country but meanwhile – the hardware is not there. How do you do it? The test- the three of them – IPPIS, UTAS, U3PS have failed the test. Do you recommend something that has failed a test? So, no matter how I love ASUU, I won’t support something that failed a test.
“I had advised ASUU when the first result came, to have UTAS do a handshake with IPPIS so as to capture all the university system peculiarities. They accepted but while negotiation was going on, they went on strike”.
Ngige also narrated how the medical doctors once threatened to go on strike over IPPIS.
“But their peculiarities have now been captured by IPPIS, even those teaching in the universities with special allowances. About a year ago, NARD wrote me that they would go on strike if we don’t put them on IPPIS. This is because all their peculiarities have captured and no one is losing anything”, he said.

 

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Education

RILTA laud appointment of new Chairman 

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The Rivers state Indigenous language Teacher Association (RILTA) has landed the appointment of the new chairman,Hon Sam Ogeh   by the state government.
The group in a statement signed by
Dr. Ovuchi J. Agwnu
President and
HRH Eze Sir Ishmael Nweke
Secretar and made available to the tide desk in port Harcourt,the group described the appointment as a welcome development and urged the new chairman to bring his long years of wealth of experience in public service to bear in his new assignment.
The group further assured him of their resolved to work with the his team to enable them succeed and assured him of their total loyalty.
The statement reads thus “
On behalf of the Rivers State Indigenous Language Teachers Association (RILTA), we extend heartfelt congratulations to you on your appointment and assumption of office as the Chairman of the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board. This prestigious appointment is a testament to your dedication, expertise, and leadership qualities.”
“Your vast experience and passion for education will undoubtedly drive transformative changes in our basic education sector. We look forward to witnessing the positive impact of your leadership on the educational landscape of Rivers State.”
We pray for divine guidance, wisdom, and strength as you embark on this noble assignment. May your tenure be marked by excellence, innovation, and unwavering commitment to the welfare of our children and educators.”
“Once again, congratulations on this well-deserved appointment. We stand ready to support you in your endeavour to elevate the standards of basic education in Rivers State.”
By: Akujobi Amadi
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University lecturer advocates for societal needs based research as Algorithms,  Pathway To Sustainable Growths

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A lecturer in the Department of Computer Science, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Professor Daniel Matthias,has advocated
for a university-industry- government partnership in order to strengthen collaborations for internships, applied research, and product development, adding
 that research outcomes should align with societal needs, especially in healthcare, environment, education, and governance.
He further  recommended the strengthening of research in emerging technologies through the establishment of dedicated research centres in AI, IoT, Blockchain, and Renewable Energy. He also advocated linking computer science with health, agriculture, and engineering as interdisciplinary projects.
Professor  Matthias, stated this when he delivered the 118th Inaugural Lecture of the University  recently in port Harcourt with the  topic “From Algorithms to Impact: Harnessing Emerging Technologies For Socio Economic Transformation.”
He described Algorithm as a, “Finite, step by step set of institutions designed to solve a specific problem or perform a task”, said they are fundamental to both Computer Science and everyday life, where they serve as recipes, driving directions, or the instructions a computer used to sort data, make recommendations on social media or rank search engine results. They take input, process it through a sequence of logical steps, and produce and output.”
The university don emphasized that Africa has the most youthful population globally with entrepreneurial spirit and therefore stands at a pivotal moment to harness the potential of the technologies enabled by the algorithm to drive sustainable development.
“Africa, with its youthful population and entrepreneurial spirit, stands at a pivotal moment to harness the potential of these technologies. By addressing infrastructure deficits, fostering digital literacy, and creating supportive policies, the continent can leapfrog traditional development pathways and establish itself as a global innovator,” Prof Mathias stated.
The erudite scholar averred that though Africa has its challenges in infrastructure deficits such as access to technology, logistics and transportation, educational barriers in the areas of quality education and digital literacy, limited investment and informal economies, the continent has promise of potential growth with the development and use of Algorithms.
He attributed the potential promises to demographic advantage, ecosystems, noting that Africa has the potential to leapfrog traditional stages of technological development by adopting mobile and digital solutions directly. Furthermore, he said that focusing on renewable energy and sustainable practices can help Africa address energy shortages while promoting environmental stewardship.
“By bridging the gap between technical knowledge and societal needs, we can create technologies that not only solve problems, but also empower communities, foster inclusion, and drive sustainable development. Collaboration, advocacy, and mentorship are essential to ensuring that technology serves as a tool for equity, empowerment, and a better future for all,” the university Don stated.
In his  remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obibi congratulated the lecturer, describing the lecture as “fantastic” and the lecturer, as “our rare gift to Africa and the world in the field of Computer Science.”
He acknowledged that most of the recommendations of the lecturer were in consonance with what the university was doing in terms of developing a policy on the use of AI and making the university community to be digital compliant.
By: Akujobi Amadi
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Education

NUC Commences  Verification Of 73 Degree Programmes Of Federal University Of Environment in Ogoni

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The National Universities Commission (NUC) has commenced resource verification of 73 degree programmes across seven faculties at the newly established Federal University of Environment and Technology (FUET), Koroma/Saakpenwa, in Ogoni, Rivers State.
The verification exercise began today and is a critical step towards securing approval for the institution’s academic programmes, with the NUC team assessing facilities, staff strength, and curriculum to ensure compliance with national standards.
Welcoming the NUC officials, the Vice Chancellor of FUET, Prof. Prince Chinedu Mmom expressed gratitude for the visit and emphasised the institution’s commitment to meeting the mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to commence academic activities in the September 2025 academic session.
“You are aware that this is a newly established university, created through the Act parliament and signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 3rd February 2025. Just about 5 weeks ago, the Honourable Minister of Education inaugurated the Governing Council and principal officers, with a clear mandate to ensure academic activities commence this September,” Prof. Mmom said.
He commended the Rivers State Government for facilities at Saakpenwa and Koroma, as well as the people of the Koroma community who gifted the university 99.3 hectares of land.
 He noted that renovation and infrastructural work have been fast-tracked despite the absence of federal budgetary allocation for the institution’s takeoff.
Prof. Mmom disclosed that the university had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with nearby institutions, including the Rivers State University, Rivers State Polytechnic, and University of Port Harcourt, for temporary academic and infrastructural support.
 He also highlighted ongoing preparations, including the provision of dormitories, classrooms, laboratories, ICT centres equipped with over 170 computers, and staff quarters.
Speaking on behalf of the NUC team, Professor John Ohaka explained that the verification exercise is part of ensuring readiness for takeoff in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“All we are doing here today is to assess the level of preparedness and ensure that the university starts on a strong footing. What we need now is quality education to drive sustainable development, and this exercise will help position FUET to compete globally,” he said.
Ohaka praised the university management for its hospitality and assured that the team would thoroughly inspect the facilities across both campuses to make recommendations where necessary
The seven proposed faculties under verification include: Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, and Faculty of Management Technology. Others are Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, and Faculty of Education.
The Federal University of Environment and Technology, located in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, is one of the newest federal universities established to expand access to tertiary education and promote research in environmental and technological studies.
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