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Again, Strike Looms As ASUU Waits For FG To Meet Demands

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Barring last minute manoeuvres, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), may today, begin another round of strike over the Federal Government’s refusal to meet its demands.
Investigations, yesterday, revealed that the national leadership of the union wants to give the government the benefit of doubt and let the ultimatum the union gave it lapse before taking the next step.
This is just as the National Executive Committee (NEC), meeting of the union may hold, tomorrow, if government fails to do the needful, it was gathered.
The likely scenario is NEC rescheduling the meeting for today and tomorrow, if by midnight today the Federal Government does not reach them.
Also, the union has accused the government of buck passing by claiming that the delay in releasing funds to meet some of the union’s demands is caused by bureaucracy at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Speaking with newsmen, the Chairman of ASUU, University of Ilorin, UNILORIN, branch, who is also a member of NEC of the union, Prof. Moyosore Ajao, said the government is taking the issue with levity.
“By midnight on Tuesday (today), the deadline given the government to meet our demands would lapse.
“As we talk, it is not yet midnight and anything can still happen. However, in the event of the government not meeting our demands within the period given, the national leadership of the union knows what to do. It will call a NEC meeting.
“As I speak to you, I am in Ilorin and no meeting has been called. We don’t want a situation where the government will accuse us of not giving them enough time; we have given them more than enough time.
“The agreement to suspend our last strike was signed on December 23, last year. From then till now, it is almost nine months.
“What are they saying is delaying them in doing their part of the deal? Will it take them a year to get money to pay us?
“If the government is saying the delay is from the CBN, the bank is an agency of the government like the ministries involved in the matter, among others.
“I don’t think the government is saying that it is ASUU that will go and twist the arm of the CBN for it to release the funds,” he said.
Ajao added that as soon as the national leadership of the union knows where the government is heading, it would follow up on the next step.
It would be recalled that the union leaders and the government team met on August 2, this year to assess the level of implementation of last year’s truce terms and the union gave the government till the end of August to meet some demands.
The union wants the government to sign and implement the renegotiated agreement, mainstream the Earned Academic Allowances and pay the N40billion Revitalisation Fund.
The union and the Federal Government had a face-off that led to a nine-month-strike by ASUU last year.
The strike was called off last December.
But up until now most of the promises made by the government are yet to be fulfilled.
Other issues that union wants the government to address are the implementation of the Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System (IPPIS), and the proliferation of universities, especially by state governments in the face of poor funding of the same.

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Why Wike Is Playing God In Rivers -Asari Dokubo

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A former Niger Delta militant, Asari Dokubo, has claimed that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is “playing god” in the current political crisis that has pitched him against the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
Dokubo also chided President Bola Tinubu for, according to him, handing over “Rivers and Bayelsa” to the ex-governor.
“He is now playing god. It is dead on arrival, all those things that he is doing,” Dokubo said in a video that surfaced on X.com on Monday.
He added, “I advise my friend, President Bola Tinubu; what you are doing to all Ijaw, Ikwerre people in Rivers State (sic). You took Rivers state and gave it one man”
In April, Fubara revealed that the administration has raised the monthly Internally Generated Revenue of the state from N12 billion which he met upon assumption of office to N27 billion.
Dokubo described the development as commendable while alleging that the governor only had access to N6 billion when he assumed office.
“The governor had come out to say that the IGR for Rivers State is now N27bn up from N12bn. The governor is even being economical with the truth. When the governor came in, they were giving him a paltry sum of N6bn,” he said.
Meanwhile, in another twist to the ongoing crisis, Fubara on Monday said that he would set up a panel of inquiry to look into the affairs of governance in the state.
He disclosed this during the swearing-in and administration of the oath of office on Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, as the Attorney General of the state and Commissioner for Justice.
The governor criticized recent comments by the former Attorney-General of the State and Justice Commissioner, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN, who resigned from his cabinet over a fortnight ago and urged the new Attorney-General to defend the state.
He stated, “It is not the one that while you were here… the only thing you do is to sabotage the government.
“Instead of you to close your mouth, you publicly claim that you’re a learned person to tell people that you’re the Chief Law Officer. Chief Law Officer, you were here and went to stand before a Magistrate Court.
“At that time you didn’t remember that you’re a Chief Law Officer going against the ethics of your job.”

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Investors, Tourists To Get Visa Within 48 Hours, FG Assures

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The Federal Executive Council chaired by President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of a tripartite committee to streamline visa processes and acquisition for investors interested in investing in Nigeria.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, revealed this, yesterday, after the FEC meeting held at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“Our visa processes are becoming cumbersome. The ease of doing business is also tied to our visa processes.
“Going forward, those investors, tourists would find it easy to acquire a visa within the next 48 hours,” Idris said.
The meeting which began on Monday was adjourned till Tuesday to allow for other “far-reaching” decisions, the information minister had told journalists.

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Panel To Probe Governance In Rivers Underway -Fubara …Swears In Iboroma As New Attorney-General

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Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared his readiness to set up a panel of inquiry to look into the affairs of governance in the state.
Fubara disclosed this during the swearing-in and administration of the oath of office on Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, as the new Attorney General of the state and Commissioner for Justice.
The governor criticised recent comments by the former Attorney-General of the State and Justice Commissioner, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN, who resigned from his cabinet over a fortnight ago and urged the new Attorney-General to defend the state.
Fubara stated, “It is not the one that while you were here… the only thing you do is to sabotage the government.
“Instead of you to close your mouth, you publicly claim that you’re a learned person to tell people that you’re the Chief Law Officer. Chief Law Officer, you were here and went to stand before a Magistrate Court.
“At that time you didn’t remember that you’re a Chief Law Officer going against the ethics of your job.”
Addressing the new AG, the governor said, “You have a big task. As it is today in the local parlance, they say the jungle has matured. We will be setting a panel of inquiry to investigate the affair of governance.”
The governor further said there was a deliberate attempt to sabotage his administration, saying, “If we disagree, no matter how bad it is, it should be resolved.
“But it has become very clear that this disagreement there is no headway to it, and for many reasons, there is very visible evidence that there is sabotage, a deliberate attempt to sabotage this administration.
“Maybe where they are they are telling them nothing will happen, it is happening here live, we have our own legislators that are performing their duties according to the Constitution. So that record is threatened.”

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