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FG ‘ll Not Pay Lecturers 6 Months Spent on Strike-Adamu Adamu

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By Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

The Federal Government on Thursday insisted that it will not agree to the demand by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for them to be paid the six months salaries withheld over the ongoing strike, saying it is meant to be the penalty for their needless action.

This is even as the government said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has expended over N6.

003 trillion in capital and recurrent expenditure in the education sector in the last seven years.
 

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, announced this on Thursday at the weekly Ministerial briefing organized by the Presidential Media Team at the Villa, Abuja.

Adamu insisted that the government would not honour the request of the lecturers to pay for the six months duration of their strike.

He said this was in addition to interventions from TETFund and UBEC amounting to N2.5 trillion and N553,134,967,498 respectively in capital investment. 

According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari rejected the request made by the lecturers for the six months payment when he presented it to him.

“All contentious issues between the government and ASUU had been settled except the request for members’ salaries for the period of the strike be paid, a demand that Buhari has flatly rejected,” he disclosed.

The minister said that the President’s position had been communicated to the lecturers who were being awaited to call off the strike.

According to him, the rejection was to curb the excesses of trade unions that want to be paid for work not done.

Adamu further disclosed that the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) payment system proposed by ASUU outscored the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) in use by the government and which the lecturers were kicking against.

However, the minister added that the IPPIS has been upgraded to accommodate payment of those lecturers on sabbatical.

Adamu also debunked the speculation that the UTAS had been adopted by the government as the new payment platform, Adamu, however, added that “Just one thing that I was reminded even the current IPPIS has been made to accommodate sabbatical. I didn’t know this. Somebody just told me,” he said.

He disclosed that the government has proposed a new salary to the unions which he said are the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian University (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists, (NAAT), have accepted in principle and were now consulting with their members to call off the strike soon.

On the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) for calling off its strike, the minister said commended the union, saying ASUU should be held responsible for causing to the students and wasting their time.

Asked how the government intended to compensate the students for time wasted, Adamu said any of the aggrieved students could sue ASUU for damages.

Speaking more on the recurring strike that has crippled the university system, the minister said it was important for the public to be aware that “the Federal Government is paying the salaries of every staff in its tertiary institutions, academic and non-academic staff, while these institutions are also in full control of their internally generated revenue (IGR).

“We are doing everything humanly possible to conclude the negotiations. We hope that the outcome of the renegotiations will bring lasting industrial peace to our campuses. In the meantime, I am sure that the current efforts would yield the desired results and return our children to school.”

He said the strike by the university-based unions came despite the Trillions of naira expended on education by the present administration directly as well as by agencies such as TEFFUND and UBEC.

The minister stated that the government rejected ASUU’s demand to be paid the salary backlog because it believes that there have to be penalties for their action.

Adamu, however, noted that ASUU had begun consultations with their members to determine whether to call off their strike as well.

He disclosed that the University Peculiar Personnel and Payroll System, U3PS, and the University Transparency Accountability Solution, UTAS, outscored the Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System, IPPIS, during the integrity tests conducted by NITDA, affirming that ASUU ‘s peculiarities will be accommodated in whatever platform that may be adopted.

He further said that currently, the IPPIS has been made to accommodate the issue of sabbatical for lecturers.

He also debunked the report that UTAS had not been approved by the government as the payment platform for University teachers.

The government has proposed a new salary to the unions which he said the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian University, SSANU, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions, NASU and the National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, have accepted in principle, he said.

According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari rejected the request made by the lecturers for the six months payment when he presented it to him.

“All contentious issues between the government and ASUU had been settled except the request for members’ salaries for the period of the strike be paid, a demand that Buhari has flatly rejected,” he disclosed.

The minister said that the President’s position had been communicated to the lecturers who were being awaited to call off the strike.

According to him, the rejection was to curb the excesses of trade unions that want to be paid for work not done.

Adamu further disclosed that the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) payment system proposed by ASUU outscored the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) in use by the government and which the lecturers were kicking against.

He however added that the IPPIS has been upgraded to accommodate payment of those lecturers on sabbatical.

Speaking more on the recurring strike that has crippled the university system, the minister said it was important for the public to be aware that “the Federal Government is paying the salaries of every staff in its tertiary institutions, academic and non-academic staff, while these institutions are also in full control of their internally generated revenue (IGR).

“We are doing everything humanly possible to conclude the negotiations. We hope that the outcome of the renegotiations will bring lasting industrial peace to our campuses. In the meantime, I am sure that the current efforts would yield the desired results and return our children to school.”

The minister also said that Buhari’s administration has expended a total of N6,003,947,848,237 in capital and recurrent expenditure in the education sector in the last seven years. 

He said this was in addition to interventions from TETFund and UBEC amounting to N2.5 trillion and N553,134,967,498 respectively in capital investment. 

“We must also note and appreciate the huge investments from States and the private sector at all levels of our educational system. We will continue to improve on the implementation of the Ministerial Strategic Plan (MSP) all through to 2023 for the overall development of the education sector.” the minister explained.

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Heirs Insurance Posts N61bn Gross Written Premium

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Heirs Insurance Group has announced its audited financial results for the year ended December 31, 2024, showing strong year-on-year growth across business lines and metrics.The insurance group reported a combined Gross Written Premium of N61bn in 2024 for its life and general insurance companies, indicating a 70 per cent increase from the N35.

8bn recorded in the previous year.
Heirs Insurance Group is the insurance subsidiary of Heirs Holdings, the pan-African investment company, with investments across 24 countries and four continents.
The insurance group also recorded a combined insurance revenue of N31.4bn, which is about 53 per cent higher than N20.5bn in 2023. Profit Before Tax rose from N4.
8bn in 2023 to N11.2bn, more than double the previous year’s figure, and representing a 133 per cent year-on-year growth, and the group paid about N10.4bn in claims during the year under review compared to N4.18bn. Its total assets grew by 66 per cent, rising from N55.8bn in 2023 to N92.9bn in 2024.Analysing the financial performance of the entities that make up the group indicated that Heirs Life Assurance reported an 85 percent increase in Gross Written Premium from N23.87bn in 2023 to N44.22bn in 2024. Insurance revenue rose by 109 per cent to N15.1bn from N7.3bn in 2023 as its profit before tax grew to N5.5bn, up from N1.88bn, indicating a 193 per cent increase. Claims paid by Heirs Life also rose to N5.67bn, a 120 percent increase from N2.5bn paid to customers in 2023.Heirs General Insurance also maintained a strong growth trajectory as its Gross Written Premium rose by 42 per cent to N16.9bn from N11.9bn in 2023. Insurance revenue hit N14.3bn, a 19 per cent increase from the N12bn recorded in 2023, and profit before tax grew by 104 per cent, rising from N2.4bn in 2023 to N4.9bn in 2024. HGI also demonstrated strong claims responsiveness, with claims paid amounting to N4.7bn, up 25 per cent from N3.7bn in the previous year.The insurance broking and risk management consulting firm in the group, Heirs Insurance Brokers, posted growth as well. Its revenue grew by 54 per cent from N1.28bn in FY2023 to N1.97bn in 2024, driven by increased client acquisition and retention. Profit Before Tax rose by 53 per cent fromN528.59m in the prior year to N805.91m in 2024, highlighting strong cost discipline and operational efficiency.In a statement accompanying the financial results, the group said it had achieved year-on-year growth due to its strong leadership and corporate governance and a focus on driving digital innovation to make insurance simple and accessible.It added, “Beyond technology, the group drives advocacy across all customer clusters, aligning with its purpose to improve lives and transform Nigeria. Its Essay Championship drives insurance literacy among young students and the school ecosystem, and its travel festival advocates for more inclusive policies to enable cross-border travel, among many other initiatives.”Heirs Insurance Group serves both corporate and individual customers across Nigeria.

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Confusion Trails Mohammed Babangida’s BOA Chairmanship Appointment

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By Mike Odiakose, Abuja

The Presidency has denied reports claiming that Mohammed Babangida, son of former military president Ibrahim Babangida, turned down his recent appointment as Chairman of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) by President Bola Tinubu.The clarification came after a letter, purportedly signed by Mohammed Babangida and circulated by Chief Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation magazine and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), suggested that Babangida had declined the offer due to personal and professional reasons.

However, presidential media aide Olusegun Dada swiftly dismissed the claims in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating that Babangida had not only accepted the appointment but also expressed deep gratitude to President Tinubu for the opportunity.
“Muhammed Babangida has officially accepted his appointment as Chairman of the Bank of Agriculture,” Dada wrote. “He thanks President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the trust reposed in him and categorically denies any report suggesting otherwise.”In a statement attributed to Babangida and shared by Dada, the former military president’s son condemned the letter as false, malicious, and intended to mislead the public and discredit the Tinubu administration.Further debunking the claim, Alhaji Mahmud Abdullahi, a media aide to Babangida, described the circulating letter as “fake” and the handiwork of mischief-makers. He insisted that the document was fabricated, bearing a forged signature and incorrect contact details.“Mohammed Babangida did not reject the appointment. The letter in circulation is fake,” Abdullahi said. “He remains grateful for the honour and is committed to serving the nation in this capacity.”The Presidency emphasized that those responsible for spreading the false information would be investigated and prosecuted, reaffirming its commitment to transparency and national cohesion.Tinubu had recently approved a series of high-profile appointments aimed at strengthening key government institutions, with Mohammed Babangida’s BOA chairmanship among the most notable.

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Retired Police Officers Defy Rain, Protest Against Pension Scheme

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By David Torough, Abuja

In a powerful show of frustration and resilience, scores of retired police officers braved heavy rain yesterday to protest at the gates of the National Assembly in Abuja. Their demand was clear: an immediate exit from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), which they described as exploitative and dehumanising.

The elderly demonstrators, many in their 60s and 70s, carried placards and sang solidarity songs, accusing the government of neglecting their welfare after decades of service to the nation.
Among them was retired Chief Superintendent of Police, Manir Lawal, who said: “We deserve to retire in dignity. This scheme has impoverished us.”Undeterred by the weather, the retirees vowed to remain at the protest site until the leadership of the National Assembly addressed their concerns.
Security personnel were on hand to ensure order, but the mood remained calm and determined.Meanwhile, a similar demonstration took place in Ilorin, Kwara and Plateau States, where members of the Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria (ARPON) staged a peaceful protest. The group, led by retired CSP Yakubu Jimoh, echoed demands for an exit from the CPS and called for the creation of a dedicated Police Pension Board—similar to pension structures enjoyed by the military and other security agencies.Jimoh cited glaring disparities in pension benefits, stating that while senior police officers such as AIGs and DIGs had successfully exited the scheme, rank-and-file officers were left behind with meagre monthly stipends and inadequate gratuities. “Imagine being paid just N2.4 million after 35 years of service, and receiving N30,000 monthly. It’s insulting,” he said.Legal Adviser of ARPON, retired SP Adekunle Iwalaiye, emphasised that the protest was not about incitement or lawlessness, but a cry for justice. “We are Nigerians too. We have bullet wounds and sacrifices. Our pensions must reflect that.”However, the Nigeria Police Force has warned of attempts by “external elements” to hijack the peaceful movement. According to a statement posted on X, such individuals were allegedly encouraging confrontation and disorder. The police urged retirees to remain calm and assured them of ongoing efforts to resolve their demands.Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, met with the protesters in Abuja and denied allegations that he was opposed to exiting the CPS.He acknowledged the hardship endured by pensioners and confirmed ongoing high-level engagements, including a recent meeting with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, to improve retirement benefits.“I empathise with you. I am not opposed to leaving the CPS, but it’s beyond the power of any IGP to unilaterally remove the force from the scheme,” he explained. Egbetokun encouraged the retirees to remain hopeful, noting that alternative solutions to enhance the current system were being explored.In a related development, civil servants in Abuja have urged the Federal Government to fulfill its promise to pay four months’ arrears of the N35,000 wage award.Many expressed disappointment over the delay, accusing the government of insincerity and urging it to disburse the payments in full.As protests and demands for improved pensions grow louder across Nigeria, both retired and active personnel are calling on the government to honor its commitments and restore dignity to public service.

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