Metro
ASUU: State Varsities Pull out Due to Threats from Employers – Stakeholders
Some stakeholders have continued to react to the pulling out of some state universities from the ongoing indefinite strike by ASUU, saying they pulled out due to threats from their employers.
They made this known in separate interviews with the reporters in Abuja on Tuesday.
It would be recalled that some state universities such as the Kaduna State University, (KASU), Ekiti State University (EKSU) and the Nasarawa State University, Keffi have pulled out of the ongoing indefinite strike actions by ASUU.
While other state universities refused to join the nationwide strike, they include Osun, Rivers, Delta, Borno, Anambra, Kwara, Akwa Ibom states and the three universities owned by Lagos State.
Dr Oluremi Oni, a lecturer in the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) said that the pulling out by state universities from the strike would not in any way affect the structure of the union.
Oni, who blamed ASUU for bringing state universities into the issues affecting federal universities, said their pulling out was actually proper.
According to her, no matter how many state universities that pulled out of the struggle, this will not affect our collective desire to protect the country’s educational system.
“Government has shown that they don’t like ASUU; when a similar thing happened last year, ASUU gave the government the presentation and they picked the one they could honour and threw it back at ASUU and ASUU was okay with them at that time.
“So it was because of government’s inability to implement the agreement last year that made ASUU to go back to strike.
“Government did not implement what it promised us and now they are expanding the problem and the public does not even know what the problem is and everybody is blaming ASUU,” she said.
Oni expressed concern over the action of government’s intention to extend the meeting with the union till June 2023, saying that this showed lack of commitment to education.
On the ‘no work, no pay’ stands by the government on ASUU, she blamed the government on this approach, saying that the union took the decision on behalf of the generality of Nigerian children to have quality education not minding the fact that their children were also affected.
“The government has forgotten that ASUU members also have children in these universities and so members are also losing.’’
The Secretary, Workers and Youths Solidarity Network (WYSN), Mr Damilola Owot called on the leadership of ASUU to re-emphasise the benefits of the strike to state workers with a view to giving them reasons to maintain the tempo and not to relax.
According to him, ASUU should pay special attention to specific needs of the state universities too and incorporate them into their future demands.
“We extend our solidarity to the members of the ASUU who are currently on strike.
“The decision of some state universities to pull out of ASUU could largely be linked to threats from their respective employers – state governments.
“The demands are clear and vivid; honour agreements, pay salary arrears and adopt UTAS.
“We believe that both the State and Federal workers stand to benefit from the concessions,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National Coordinator, Congress of University Academics (CONUA), Dr Niyi Sunmonu insisted that the liberalisation of academic unions was the only way out to end incessant strikes in universities.
Sunmonu said the liberalisation would engender cross-fertilisation of ideas, nurture healthy competition and protect the interests of all stakeholders hence there would be no need for strike.
“Freedom of association is enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“And as long as that provision still exists in the constitution, Nigerian citizens are freeborn and they can operate under it to freely associate.
“We hope that the freedom of association will continue to help the advancement of learning in our universities,” he said.
Also, the former National President, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Mr Sunday Asefon had previously called on state-owned universities to opt out of the action.
Asefon said that ASUU had lost the support of Nigerian students given the unpatriotic disposition displayed by them in extending their strike indefinitely.
Asefon said students would no longer support the union’s call for intervention, while accusing the body of being self-serving.
“We have taken the time to review the decision of ASUU to declare an indefinite strike after the ongoing six-month strike.
“We consider the decision as not only unpatriotic, unnecessary but wicked and definitely not in the interest of our nation or the tertiary education system in Nigeria.
“We call on state governments to forthwith liaise with Vice-Chancellors of state institutions to announce the resumption of academic activities and grant the vice-chancellors authority to enforce the resumption.
“State universities should never have joined the strike in the first place,” he said. (NAN)
The Federal Capital Territory Civil Service Commission has begun the regularisation of staff appointments in the FCT Administration and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
The Head of the Civilo Service, Dr Udo Atang, said at the commencement of the exercise in Abuja on Wednesday, that the move was to ensure accurate data of all staff.
Atang described the regularisation as a “critical” exercise, which forms the bedrock of the new FCT Civil Service Commission (CSC).
He pointed out that all the staff were holding letters of appointments from various agencies, departments, area councils, and the defunct Ministry of FCT and FCDA among others.
The holders of these letters, he said, have been raising issues of discrimination based on letters of appointment.
According to him, the exercise and the gazette by the commission that will come thereafter, will give all staff a sense of identity.
“The essence of this regularisation is to ensure that staff are properly documented.
“You will now have letters that will now qualify you as a bonafide staff of the FCT Civil Service Commission.”
The head of service, who appealed for full cooperation of the workers, directed that a list of all staff on course, study leave, leave of absence and other related permissions be compiled and submitted.
He added that the list should be compiled with grade level, designation and record of service, including approvals.
Atang commended the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, for his doggedness and commitment in implementing the provisions of the FCT CSC Act, 2018.
Noting Wike’s support and love for the FCT workers, the head of service urged the workers to reciprocate the minister’s uncommon gesture, by being dedicated and committed to their respective duties.
Also speaking, the Chairman, FCT CSC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, stressed that part of the responsibilities of the commission was in the appointment, promotion and discipline of all FCTA and FCDA workers.
Ezeh also stressed the need for the workers to be more committed in the discharge of their responsibilities. (NAN)
From Jude Dangwam, Jos
The Catholic Women Organization of Nigeria (CWON) has organized a trauma healing session for survivors of the Jos Saint Academy School collapse alongside parents who lost their children in the unfortunate incident.The National President of the organization, Dame Mary Gonzum noted that the effort was part of their psychosocial support and counseling services for victims of the school building collapse as a follow-up to the assessment of the condition of the victims during their visit.
Gonzum speaking during a one day trauma session held at the Secretariat of the Justice Development and Peace/Caritas Commission (JDPC) of the Catholic Archdiocese located along Zaria Road in Jos the Plateau State capital said the trauma healing session was in continuation of their intervention to students who experienced the building collapsed.”Today, a trauma healing session was flagged off with a seminar on how to go about handling the trauma that victims of the Saint Academy School Busa Buji in Jos are passing through.”We will later select those that are so traumatic and need help to continue with the process of healing because it is not something that will end in a day or two but will need sometime.”The surviving students who experienced the building collapsed, parents of the students are all here because some parents are so traumatic, we have one other woman that lost two children”This trauma became necessary because when we went visiting in the hospitals, we observed that some of them are really traumatic. Like the other boy, his mother said up till today he kept telling his mother that he is seeing dead bodies, and anybody he sees he will say is his classmate.”Some of the affected parents while sharing their encounters after the incident said they hardly sleep in the day or night time. Some manage to sleep for two hours and they’re awake, and from the little lectures we received today it is clear that there is a problem,” She noted.The President calls on the government to ensure that those saddled with the responsibility of approving, inspecting and supervising structures are meant to do their job with all diligence to avert future happenings again.Some of the affected parents including; Hasana Suleman Sale who lost two of her children recalled with pains the unfortunate development that claimed the lives of her two children. She expressed gratitude for the trauma healing session which she said came as a means of consolation and strength for her to overcome the trauma she is passing through.
The Catholic Church in Nigeria has welcomed the newly-appointed Apostolic to Nigeria, Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty.
Crotty, an Irish, was appointed by the Vatican.
He will oversee the propagation of the gospel of Jesus Christ through the church in Nigeria.
The position, an ambassadorial status, advances cohesion in the body of Christ.
In his welcome message for Crotty on Tuesday, the President of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, said that the Church was glad to receive him.
The CBCN president, who is also the Archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, said,” With joy and gratitude to God, I extend a hearty welcome to Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty on behalf of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, clergy, religious and lay faithful in Nigeria.
“We are thankful to His Holiness, Pope Francis, for appointing Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty as the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria to build on the good works of his predecessor, Archbishop Antonio Filipazzi.
“His appointment is a testament to the strong spiritual bond between our countries,” he said.
He said that although Crotty was the first Apostolic Nuncio from Ireland to serve in Nigeria, many Irish missionaries had played significant roles in spreading the gospel in Nigeria.
“We appreciate Archbishop Crotty’s acceptance of serving in Nigeria and assure him of our full support and cooperation.
“We pray for a fruitful mission and a blessed tenure for our excellency,” he added. (NAN)
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