Education
UNIPORT SSANU, NASU Protest Non-Payment Of Withheld Salaries
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and its Non-Academic Staff Union(NASU) counterpart in the University of Port Harcourt, under the auspices of the Joint Action Committee(JAC), last Tuesday embarked on a peaceful protest around their campuses to protest against non-payment of four months owed salaries by the Federal Government as directed by their national secretariats.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the protest,the Chairman of SSANU, Comrade Bernard Ezechukwu, said they embarked on the protest to press on the Federal Government to pay their four months withheld salary arrears,fallout of their last national strike, saying the strike was in line with the directive of their national leadership.
According to him, the university system cannot work effectively without the contributions of all the unions on campus.
“We called out our people today on the plight of the workers, as regards our four months salary arrears owed to us by the previous adminstration.
“The university cannot function effectively without the contribution of all the unions on campus. “As non-teaching staff we do our best administratively, the teaching staff also do their beat to keep the system running, so why would the Federal Government trivialise our role or position?”, the SSANU Chairman asked.
He accused the people working with the President of refusing to pay the owed salaries even after the President had given order to that effect.
Ezechukwu said the protest was to notify the Federal Government of the proposed strike,which he said would be total.
Also speaking,the Chairman of NASU,UNIPORT Chapter, Comrade Osorochi Ogbegbe, said the protest was to drum support for the payment of their withheld four months salary arrears.
He queried why the non-academic staff should not be paid when their academic staff counterparts have since been paid.
By: Akujobi Amadi
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, emphasised the need for students to go beyond academic achievements during the university’s 43rd Convocation ceremony.
The theme, “The University Culture In Practice, The IAUE Experience,” highlights the importance of embracing cherished traditions and intellectual values that define great universities.
Prof. Onuchuku encouraged the new graduates to work hard and persevere, noting that their convocation marks a new beginning in their careers and personal lives. He emphasised that they must prove themselves worthy of the certificates and prizes they have received.
According to him, out of 2,887 first-degree graduands, four made First Class, 403 secured Second Class Upper, 2,030 got Second Class Lower, and 450 graduated with Third Class. Additionally, 1,492 postgraduate students graduated, including 306 PhD holders.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), praised the university’s commitment to academic excellence and institutional maturity. He commended the Acting Vice Chancellor for achieving full accreditation for 47 academic programmes and implementing the NUC’s Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards.
The administrator urged the new graduates to uphold the positive values instilled in them by the university and strive for continuous knowledge and improvement.
By: King Onunwor
The Niger Delta Students Union Government, Rivers State Chapter (NIDSUG), has suspended its planned protest against the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) state office in Port Harcourt. The suspension followed an intervention by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju.
The students had planned to protest on Thursday, citing alleged neglect by the NDDC, particularly in welfare and capacity-building programmes for students from the state. However, after the police intervention, the students agreed to participate in a roundtable discussion with the commission to address their concerns.
NIDSUG leader, Comrade Loveday Njoku, expressed dissatisfaction with the commission’s alleged exclusion of students from benefiting from its programmes. He presented a seven-point demand, including the reintroduction of scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Njoku emphasised that education is crucial for community development and urged the commission to invest in the future leaders of the state.
The students warned that if their demands are not met, they will resume the protest and occupy the state commission office until their demands are addressed. Despite previous attempts to reach out to the commission’s management team, the students claimed their efforts were unsuccessful.
By: Akujobi Amadi
As part of efforts to improve the welfare and overall quality of education for students in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, the Sole Administrator, Sir (Dr.) Clifford Ndu Walter DSSRS, FCAI, JP, paid an unscheduled visit to Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi.
During the visit, Sir Walter expressed deep concern over the deplorable state of the school and its surrounding environment. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the development of the education sector, stressing its critical role in nation-building.
“I have visited the primary school in Ogbogoro, and now I’m here at the Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi. I am not satisfied with what I’ve seen,” he stated, indicating that more surprise visits to schools would follow.
To address the issues, the Sole Administrator directed the Council Engineer to commence process for rehabilitation of the school.
The visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at conducting on-the-spot assessments of educational facilities to determine the level of intervention required by the local government council.
Dr. Walter also assured the teachers of his unwavering commitment to revamp the school and improve the learning environment for both staff and students.