COVER
Non-academic Staff of Universities Shelve Strike
By Martin Paul, Abuja
The Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) has suspended, for two weeks, its planned industrial action over the alleged maladministration in Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
The management of CAC was accused of stopping salaries of workers even before queries were issued, at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The union among other issues accused CAC management of unilaterally restricting staff vacancies against the recommendations of the committee on the commission’s organogram, and particularly expressed disgust at what it called “unjustified barring of certain categories of staff from writing promotion examination”.
It also accused management of stopping all staff loans, hasty, draconian, and unilateral decision making leadership style, and denial of 2019 promotion arrears to deserving workers.
The suspension followed intervention by the permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Sani Gwarzo after meeting behind-closed-doors for about nine hours with AUPCTRE led by Comrade Benjamin Anthony.
The strike which was expected to commence on January 11, was suspended for 14 days to give time to the management of CAC to address all the contentious issues. Gwarzo directed the Registrar General CAC to maintain the status quo and reverse all actions initiated against the CAC branch Union executive by the management After the meeting, AUPCTRE issued a statement announcing shifting the proposed industrial action to the next 14 days within which all contentious issues should have been resolved.
SSANU, NASU Protest FG’s N30bn sharing formula to Varsities
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff of Nigerian Universities (NASU) in the University of Calabar held a joint protest to reject the proposed sharing formula of thirty billion given to the universities by the Federal Government.
The protest which was under the aegis of Joint Action Congress, JAC, of the union saw the workers marching round the University’s Main Campus with placards with various inscription baring their anger on the Federal Government on what they termed ‘cheating’ of non-academic staff of universities.
Addressing the workers, the Deputy National President of SSANU, Dr Leku Andor, said the Federal Government was being insincere in implementing simple Agreement signed with non-academic staff unions.
“We entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Federal Government which was represented by Minister of State For Education, Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) and they told us that the N30 billion being released is for Earned Allowances for all university workers, but today we are shocked to hear of 75% for academic staff and 25% for Non-academic staff and that arrangement is totally unacceptable to us” Andor said.
He said the non-academic staff had earlier sent a memo to the Federal Government demanding for one hundred and twenty billion naira for its members and the government informed them that there was a forensic audit of university staff in place to ascertain what each staff would get from the money to be disbursed but nothing has come out of the audit till date.
“They assured us that the money was meant for all the four unions in Nigerian universities but today government is adopting a divide and rule approach but nobody can divide us that is the reason we have gathered here to carry out this protest” He stated that the Integrated and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, which was embraced by nonacademic staff has shortchanged them severely and the workers are now rejecting it.
“The IPPIS which non-academic staff embraced with assurances from government gave has today become a source of pain to us Today, our staff are being paid amputated salaries, half-payments and all sorts of things are going on so we say no more IPPIS.
“We have tried IPPIS and we have found out it is not marriage material” Comrade Joseph Omini, the branch Chairman of SSANU said the protest will go on for three days continuously and thereafter, a decision will be taken to embark on industrial action if the government does not respond.
“We are protesting over the non-renegotiation of 2009, MOU, the non-payment of gratuity to retirees who are our members, taking over of non-academic staff job by academic staff and if nothing is done we shall embark on full strike soon”, Andor added.
By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja
Vice Chairman of the House Committee on Environment in the House of Representatives, Rep Terseer Ugbor (APC, Benue), on Monday, said that Nigeria has been marked as a major global trafficking hub for wildlife.
Representing Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency, the lawmaker also decried the illegal activities of poachers and smugglers in Nigeria, adding that illegal activities like poaching and smuggling are a major sabotage to the economy and called for action to stop the trend.
Speaking at a policy dialogue on “the endangered species conservation and protection bill 2024,” Ugbor said the activities of poachers portend grave dangers to the nation’s economy, adding that biodiversity is particularly threatened by the actions of those he called wildlife criminals.
He said further that wildlife crime also fosters corruption, facilitates insecurity and presents opportunities for the spread of zoonotic diseases such as COVID-19.
He said: “Nigeria has emerged with the unenviable status as a global hub for wildlife trafficking in recent years, and continues to be considered as one. Nigeria must therefore act swiftly and work to reverse this negative status and threat to our beautiful country and the world.
“The passage of this legislation will mark a major milestone for global conservation efforts and Nigeria’s international image. The passage of this bill will also advance the legislative agenda of the 10th House of Representatives for Nigeria’s environmental sustainability.”
The proposed law, he said, aimed to “address threats to biodiversity in Nigeria and across Africa by providing a consistent and strong legal framework to put an end to wildlife trafficking. In doing this, it embodies recommendations made following a consultative and collaborative analysis of relevant Nigerian laws for addressing wildlife trafficking.”
While highlighting the importance of the dialogue, the lawmaker stressed that there was a need to ensure that Nigeria’s biodiversity is supported by strong and comprehensive endangered species legislation.
He said: “Nigeria is also a party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora obligating the strengthening of our legal framework for biodiversity conservation and this bill seeks to give effect to those obligations.“
Although not strictly a requirement of the lawmaking process, this policy dialogue is necessary to harmonize stakeholders’ position on the bill and clear the way for its expeditious approval and adoption as law.”
By Lubem Myaornyi, Abuja
Former governor of Kaduna State Nasir El-Rufai yesterday urged President Bola Tinubu to sack appointees who are under performing.
The former governor gave the advice while speaking with journalists in Maiduguri, Borno State.
He advised the president to review policies that are not helping.
El-Rufai said, “You appoint a person into a position and he is not working according to the expectations, you should have the humility to tell him that I need a better person, go and do something else.
“What we must to do as citizens is to pray for our leaders for God to guide them to see or do what is right.
“For God to give them the humility to reverse themselves when necessary and do the right thing; that’s how society progresses.
”According to him, the Federal Government is paying more on fuel subsidies now than before.
El-Rufai who delivered a keynote address at a workshop aimed at enhancing the skills of government officials in policy implementation and human resource management in Maiduguri said, “The Federal Government is presently subsidizing fuel, a fact that may elude many.”
He endorsed the policy shift, expressing his longstanding support for withdrawal the oil subsidy.
However, he acknowledged the complexities involved in policy implementation, noting that despite initial intentions, the government found itself compelled to reinstate the subsidy due to unforeseen challenges.
He said, “Currently, the government is allocating a substantial amount for subsidy, surpassing previous levels.
“Leadership requires pragmatism. When a policy fails to yield the desired outcomes, humility dictates that adjustments be made.”
By Donald Andoor, Abuja
Former Governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswam, vying to be the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has pledged to work with critical stake holders to revive, reorganise and reposition the Party as a viable alternative ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“I know all that is involved in the PDP since I joined the party in 1998, under which I was elected as a member of the House of Representatives, then as a governor and a Senator. I know what the party stands for and most of its major players either dead or alive…“With this experience, my intention is to provide focused leadership to revive reorganize and reposition the party as a viable alternative” he said adding “the only way to prevent absolute dictatorship is to have a virile opposition party.”Suswam who spoke to some journalists over the weekend in Abuja dismissed allegation of different camps in the PDP but rather insisted the party needs a strong leadership to lead the way.Flacked by Hon. Richard Gbande, former member of the House of Representauives for Katsina Ala/Logo/Ukum Federal Constituency, Suswam emphatically said the party needs a strong leader.“I am not insisting it must be me but if it is me it will be better for the party.”Acknowledging he was widely consulting with the critical stake holders of the party, he explained that the PDP was not planning a national convention for the election of the National Chairman that has been vacant since the exit of the former National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu but the National Executive Committee (NEC) would come together to choose a replacement in line with the provision of Article 47:6 of its constitution.He explained further that the provision empowers the NEC to appoint a successor from the geo-political zone where the removed National Chairman comes from to complete such a tenure. He cited several instances to expatiate how the party had complied with the provision of its constitution in the past, including the appointment of Chief Audu Ogbe by the NEC to replace Chief Barnabas Gemade who was elected at the national convention of the party.He debunked allegation that the former National Chairman, has a pending case in court against the party over his removal with a terse dismissal that “Ayu is not in court.”The PDP NEC has slated April 18, 2024 to appoint a replacement for the vacant position of the National Chairman following the exit of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu last year.Amongst others contesting for the vacant position are: the 2023 governorship candidate in Nasarawa State, David Ombugadu and a former Minister from Kogi State, Humphrey Aba.Suswam, faulted some policies of the Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress (APC )-led governmentas he regretted the dangerous economic slide as a result of ill-thought policies.He said the ruling – APC failed to learn lessons from the economic woes of Ghana and other Latin American countries, including Brazil that floated their currencies and attendant consequences on their economies.
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