The majority of the country’s federal and state universities are still reeling from the effects of the Sunday, November 4, directive of the National Executive Council (NEC) of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to its members to embark on total and indefinite strike with immediate effect.

INEC demands immediate resolution of ASUU strike
The marching order was the outcome of the deliberation of the NEC, which met at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Ondo State.

Six weeks after, the various campuses across the country are looking like ghost towns as students were forced to go home. Since then, the students have been anxiously waiting for when the government and ASUU would resolve the issues in contention.

Checks on campuses across the country showed that the lecture halls and libraries are empty while the lecturers have also abandoned their offices in compliance with the NEC directive.

The representatives of the Federal Government and the leadership of the union have met severally, including on Monday, December 10 with no end in sight. Even when the Federal Government invoked the ‘no work, no pay’ rule and asked vice chancellors to stop salaries of the striking lecturers, the university teachers were not bothered as they vowed to also apply ‘no pay, no work’, a development that forced the government to withdraw the directive.

After one of the meetings, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, told Nigerians that the government had partially met the demands of ASUU, which led to speculations that the union would suspend the ongoing strike.

But in swift reactions, some principal officers of ASUU on Wednesday and Thursday last week denied that it was planning to suspend the industrial action, stating that there was no concrete agreement on ground.

The officers told Sunday Sun that only the NEC could suspend the strike, pointing out that no NEC meeting had yet been fixed.

Since the strike, ASUU and the government have met many times, the last being on Monday, December 17, and like others in the past, the meeting ended in a deadlock. The leadership of the union expressed displeasure in the way the government representatives were handling the discussion.

One of the branch chairmen told Sunday Sun that if the government officials continue with the lackadaisical attitude towards resolving the issues in contention, the implication would be that the students would continue to stay at home for a long time except President Buhari intervened and took decisions that would allow peace to return to the various universities.

Genesis of FG/ASUU logjam
The relationship between ASUU and the Federal Government went sour over numerous issues such as poor or low salaries, delay in payment of salaries, poor conditions of service, poor funding of education, inadequate facilities and non-implementation of agreement signed by the government.

According to O.C. Nwana, these issues have led to endless cycles of face-offs and strikes leading to long periods of closure of educational institutions. Recall that the 1993/94 academic session was cancelled due to the prolonged ASUU strike and Nwana admitted that by October 1996, some universities had lost two academic years, with students admitted during the 1991/92 academic session for four/five/six-year programmes remaining in the universities longer than required.

Two main reasons of ASUU agitation
ASUU has continued to maintain that its decision to embark on strike has not been for the sole purpose of getting salary increment, but for improvement in the funding and betterment of the academic environment with adequate facilities in the universities.

Aside agitating for the implementation of the 2009 agreement, ASUU is also seeking for the release of funds to implement the Needs Assessment Report done on public universities, which is meant to address the state of facilities in state and federal universities.

Deadlock in the renegotiation with FG
Following the protest by ASUU demanding for renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, the Federal Government reconstituted the committee headed by the Pro-chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of University of Lagos, Dr Wale Babalakin, in March 2017, to meet and discuss with the unions.

At the inauguration of the committee in Abuja, Education Minister, Mallam Adamu Adamu, said the renegotiation would be completed within six weeks. Early this year, ASUU pulled out of the renegotiation and the National President of ASUU, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, described Babalakin as a stumbling block in the renegotiation exercise.

His words: “The chairman of the government renegotiation team, Dr Wale Babalakin, has constituted himself to a stumbling block in the process of the renegotiation. He has arrogantly exhibited the I-know it-all attitude and also conducted himself as a judge, instead of a negotiator.

“He has also consistently attempted to substitute core constitutional provisions of Nigeria on education, including university education, by market principles of trading in and purchasing higher education, putting Nigerian children in debt in order to acquire higher education. This situation is not acceptable to the union.”

The union after its NEC meeting held at University of Calabar rejected Dr Babalakin as the chairman of the government renegotiation team and backed it up with a letter to the education minister, in which it stated that the renegotiation effort had collapsed, asking the government to remove Babalakin. The union later withdrew from the committee.

ASUU explained that Babalakin was trying to introduce tuition in the universities through the back door with his proposal for the establishment of an Education Bank, where students could borrow N1 million and pay N700,000 to the universities as fees and keep the remaining N300,000 for sundry expenses. The students are expected to repay the loan when they start working after graduation.

However, Babalakin denied the allegation by ASUU, and stated that at no time did he propose the introduction of fees in the universities. Members of government renegotiation team also came out to defend the integrity of the chairman and passed a vote of confidence in him.

Shocking outcome of NEEDS Assessment of public varsities
The NEEDS Assessment Report on the state of Nigerian public universities was the basis for the FG/ASUU agreement in 2013, which the union said the government failed to implement. ASUU said that based on the agreement, the government was to inject N1.3 trillion into state and federal universities for the revitalization (infrastructural and manpower development) over a period of six years (2013-2018), adding that so far, only the 2013 tranche has been released.

According to the report, 701 development projects in Nigerian universities, 163 (representing 23.3 percent) are abandoned while 538 (76.7 per cent) are perpetually ongoing projects. Some of the abandoned projects in Nigerian universities are over 15 years old. Similarly, all projects funded by the Niger Delta Development Commission across universities in the Niger Delta states have been abandoned. About 84.6 per cent of them are students’ hostels with some of them over 40 years old. Less than 10 per cent of the universities have video conferencing facility, less than 20 per cent of the universities use interactive boards, more than 50 per cent don’t use public address system in their overcrowded lecture rooms/theaters.

Equally, Internet services are non-existent, epileptic and slow in 99 percent of Nigerian universities. The library resources are outdated and manually operated and bookshelves are homes to rats/cockroaches, no university library in Nigeria is fully automated, less than 35 percent are partially automated.

Other shocking findings in the report include the fact that Nigerian universities instead of having 100 percent academics with PhDs, they have only about 43 per cent. The remaining 57 per cent have no PhDs. Nigerian medical students are trained in the most dangerous environment, some only see medical tools in book. Only seven Nigerian universities have up to 60 per cent of their teaching staff with PhD qualifications, while the majority of the universities in the country are grossly understaffed, a few cases present a pathetic picture. There are universities where the total number of professors is not more than five. For instance, Kano State University of Science and Technology, Wudil, established in 2007 (11 years old) has only one professor and 25 PhD holders; Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero, established in 2006 has only two professors and five PhDs; Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, established in 2008, has a total of 29 lecturers, makeshift lecturing system: Out of a total of 37,504 lecturers, only 28,128 (75 percent) are engaged on full-time basis while 9,376 (25 percent) Nigerian lecturers are recycled as visiting, adjunct, sabbatical and contract lecturers. In Gombe State University, only four out of 47 professors are full-time and all 25 Readers are visiting. In Plateau State University, Bokkos, 74 per cent of the lecturers are visiting, in Kaduna State University, only 24 out of 174 PhD holders are full-time staff. The report also made so many other sterling revelations.

Stakeholders seek resolution of FG/ASUU face-off
As the strike enters the sixth week, education stakeholders have called on the Federal Government to avert a prolonged industrial action in the universities by acceding to some of the demands of the lecturers. They also appealed to ASUU to reconsider its position in the interest of the students.

The Proprietor of Focus International School, Abeokuta, Chief Lanre Ogunjobi, decried the incessant strike in the university system over the non-implementation of staff unions’ demands leading to prolonged strikes and disruption of academic calendar.

According to him, strikes have made students to spend additional year(s) in school for no fault of theirs and that even parents spend extra money when eventually the strike is called off or suspended. He said the non-implementation of N1.3trillion determined through the Needs Assessment Survey for public universities since 2013 is worrisome.

On ASUU demands for government to remove Babalakin as chairman of the renegotiation committee, Chief Ogunjobi explained that it would be difficult for the union to continue talks with him in-charge and advised the government to apply wisdom in handling the issue.

Another educationist, Mr Clement Tobi, expressed concern that students in public universities have been at home for about six weeks now while the children of top government officials are schooling abroad, hence the non-nonchalant attitude by the government to address the demands of ASUU since 2009.

Tobi, with 23 years teaching experience, said that Nigeria has become a laughing stock because of the state of the education sector and urged the government to include the demands of the staff unions in the 2019 budget and reconstitute the committee so that ASUU will return to the negotiation table.

The Executive Director, Education First Consult, Dr Bayo Makinde, stressed that ASUU’s incessant strike has contributed to lowering of the standard in the university system and also prolonged the graduation of students for no fault of theirs.

Makinde asked ASUU to think of other means of making the government accede to their demands other than the use of strike as a weapon, warning that industrial action had never solved any problem. He advised the union leaders to embrace dialogue to resolve the current crisis.

A partner at Strategy and Innovation for Development Initiative in Bayelsa, Mrs Monisola Aiyekusehin, in her view said: “I think to put an end to the incessant strike that disrupts the academic calendar is for the Federal Government to enact a law banning public office holders from sending their children to study abroad as a measure to check the spate of strikes by ASUU.

Her words: “The fact remains that most top officials of the government who have their children schooling abroad do not understand the effect of the strike. Whenever there is a strike, academic activity is crippled and students are left with no choice than to wait until it is called off. The FG and ASUU usually drag their negotiation; it is a shame for education to be treated as something unimportant. They don’t show commitment to addressing the issue, which has lingered for years. Since their children are not affected, it is difficult for them to contribute positively towards upgrading and stabilising the education system. Our leaders must change their attitude towards educational development.”

Responding to the FG/ASUU face-off, the Provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Mr Gbemiga Ogunleye, observed that incessant shutdown of tertiary institutions was due to non-payment of emoluments, among other demands, should be reviewed by the government. “Government should know that the effect of strike would be felt in the next five years. It is not something that they should overlook; we should take a leaf of how the developed world take education seriously.

“The many challenges faced by the staff unions are due to government not keeping their promise. Government should keep their promise so that the academic session would not be rushed when they resolve the contentious issues. The sector must be transformed and undergraduate given the opportunity to develop within the specific time they ought to be in school rather than produced half baked students. We must find a way to enact a law/policy that will prohibit public office holders from sending their children/wards to study abroad.”

The Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Ojo, Mr Tajudeen Oladipupo, observed that strike has become a permanent feature in the nation’s education sector, stressing that “government has been unable to meet wage bill, including other entitlements of staff unions which require urgent attention to put an end to the strike embarked by the staff unions.

“Access to education is a human right. Preventing the youth from furthering their studies affects them and the community at large. Academic activities are usually grounded in public universities and extension of students’ academic calendar. ASUU is always agitating for the implementation of their demands. If government fails to meet their demands, should the students continue to stay at home that is my concern? I call on the government and ASUU to come to terms and put an end to this incessant strike,” he said.

ASUU and NANS spit fire
Commenting on the prolonged strike, ASUU President, Prof Ogunyemi, expressed displeasure that the union held several meetings with the government representatives and no concrete effort has been made to end the periodic strike that had continued to lower the quality of education.

He said: “I was surprised when I read some media reports that the union was considering suspending the industrial action early in the week. That never happened. I only told journalists that nothing was available for us to take to our members.

“Government likes making promises as usual. Nevertheless, we would watch closely until something concrete is done before we respond in any way. Besides, the President of ASUU cannot take such decision. There are procedures to take that decision and no basis to do that now.

“We have presented our major demands to government representatives and, as usual, they made promises. First in our demand is the revitalization fund. Second is the release of forensic report on Earned Academic Allowance (EAA).

“The salary shortfall of our members is another demand we presented to government representatives and the last being the anti-labour practices of some state-owned universities.”

Prof Ogunyemi was particularly impressed that the government has released the outcome of the forensic audit of academic earned allowances, which contained the specific amount of money being owed the university lecturers.

He, however, suggested that whatever money government desires to release to the universities should be mainstreamed into the 2019 budget to avoid unnecessary excuses regarding the release of the fund.

The ASUU president maintained that the National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU would be ready to reconvene meeting and possibly suspend the strike as soon as the government makes realistic commitment.

A lecturer in the Department of International Law, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Chukwuemeka Eze, said that the strike was regrettable, but had to be embarked on to compel the government to attend to the needs of the institutions and the workers.

Eze suggested that the government must take seriously the issue of funding of education and infrastructural provision in the universities as recommended by UNESCO.

He said: “UNESCO recommended allocation of 26 per cent of annual budget to education. Unfortunately, nothing near that has been achieved in the case of Nigeria. Worst of all is that lecturers lose motivation daily due to poor remuneration.

“Expectedly, they would not give their best because of the poor motivation and discouraging conditions of service. That has obviously contributed to the poor quality of education in Nigeria. The worst was that those charged with the responsibility of policy formulation have sent their children abroad to get quality education.

“You could imagine that lecturers assigned to supervise exams for several hours are given soft drinks and snacks for lunch. Expectedly, he or she will compromise. That ill treatment could even make them submit to mouth-watering offers of some rich students who could go to any length to get what they want.”

He summed up the unending agitation in the universities by academic workers as a product of frustration, adding that until the government makes sincere financial and infrastructural commitment to the education system and workers’ welfare, such industrial disharmony would continue to exist.

President of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Bamidele Akpan, said that the students would continue to appeal to the aggrieved lecturers to suspend the strike.

He said: “We observed that the documents being reviewed are much and that could have been responsible for the prolonged discussions. We have participated in some of the meetings and we are optimistic that the industrial action would be suspended soon.”

From all indications, ASUU is not ready to shift ground and has informed members to prepare for a long strike.

Feelers from the union indicate that it will not continue with the renegotiation if Dr Babalakin remains as chairman of the committee.



https://www.google.com/amp/s/sunnewsonline.com/ASUU-strike-educationists-lament-prolonged-industrial-action/amp/

ndaman25:
any learned person that believe this crap should just be sent to Yaba-left

Then yabaleft should be ready to accomkdate 80% of Nigerians


Gullible

youngberry001:
I smell 2goals in man u net


man u worwor no be small

How e do u for body now

*CITIZENS OR SUBJECTS?*

When dividends of democracy and transparency are stifled, then bad decisions are often made and heartbreaking tragedies occur – too often on a breathtaking scale that can leave societies wondering: how did this happen?

This evening I just got a message from a friend that the Vice president is visiting Iseyin tomorrow and all the N-Power beneficiaries were all mandated to be in attendance and strictly on their Uniforms.

Then I keep asking myself that is this N-power project politically created or its beneficiaries were all meant to be used politically when the election period comes around? I'm not saying N-power program is not a good and a live changing program but do we need to mix it with politics?

Yes creating N-power is to help the electorates but was it created in order to mobilise people for selfish political campaign activities?

Does our government needs to create jobs and still impose on its citizens on what to do aside its objectives?

*ARE WE CITIZENS OR SUBJECTS?*

Our government should set things aright, they should not come and impose on us what we *do or what we don't*.

I believe that when the public lacks even the most fundamental dividends and freedom to what its governments doing in their names, then they cease to be involved in the act of citizenship. There is a bright distinction between citizens, who have rights and privileges protected by the state, and subjects, who are under the complete control and authority of the state.

*CITIZENS OR SUBJECTS?*

© *O.A.J*

Is it Tinubu or Lagosian

This was the best time he takes off his cap

Basher8583:

Bongo.... soon you will tell him to take off his trousers

Even your sense

Tell him to take off his cap

The ongoing strike declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) continues as the leaders of the union and the Federal government failed to reach an agreement again.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, presided over a resumed negotiation with the striking university lecturers on Monday at the ministry’s office in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The meeting unlike previous ones which ended inconclusively had ASUU National President, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, and other leaders of the union walk out of the meeting.


Professor Ogunyemi, however, refused to speak to newsmen about the outcome of the meeting and why the union leaders stormed out after about two hours.

But in an interview with newsmen after the meeting, Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige insisted that the lecturers did not walk out.

When asked the outcome of the meeting, the labour minister said negotiations were still on and that the government was poised to ensure all knotty issues were resolved before Christmas to enable students return to classes.


According to him, we gave ourselves some assignment with different Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) on what to do.

“They brought their reports today and we took the reports and we were supposed to do some implementation on the reports.

“So we are going to give ourselves some days for it to be done and to see whether we can accomplish them before Christmas,” he said.

He added that there is no dissatisfaction by the union as “we have already agreed on implementation and we have given ourselves some work plan”.

He, however, said that the only difference for the implementation on the agreement reached was only a matter of days before Christmas for the discussions.

“So that for students who are home, will have some hope of resuming in January and those who have missed their exams this time will also have hope for first week in January.

“So, the issue of shortfall in salaries are being worked on, among other major issues, and I will be meeting with the Minister of Finance tomorrow to find out the stage of implementation of that. So there is progress,” Ngige added.

Jason555:
There's even a video compiled for it... WATCH VIDEO HERE

Video? Fear God

Jubril is +1

The H in Nigeria stands for Hope

The H in Nigeria stands for Hope

DO you remember the statue of the three Lagos white cap chiefs?

Originally, the statue was placed opposite Ojodu Berger bus stop at the point of entry to Lagos from the Ibadan end of the expressway by the administration of Colonel Raji Rasaki in 1991. Even at inception controversy trailed their positioning as many were against it for whatever reason. Some complained that the white cap chiefs were not welcoming in their posture especially when the inscription under them said; ‘This is Lagos, the state of aquatic splendour.’

There was also a fabrication that the incessant accidents that used to occur at the point were as a result of spiritual attachment to the monument. Statue After a while, precisely in 2004, the statues were burnt down at night by some unknown characters.

Not daunted, the state government re-fabricated the spectacular work of art but looked for a new home for the ‘elders’ opposite the Michael Otedola Estate. Through some coincidence or by design incessant accident cases shifted to the area of their new location.

Again, the enemies of the elders were looking for an opportunity to destroy them. The chance actually presented itself during the fuel subsidy protests when the statues were again burnt down. 75 per cent damage Lagos State Government speaking to Vanguard about the latest damage to the three wise-man statues popularly called ‘Ere Meta’ put the extent of damage inflicted on the statue by anti-fuel subsidy removal protesters, at 75 percent which government said caused the delay in their return. Speaking in an interview, Director of the Lagos State Council of Arts and Culture, Mr. Adesina Elegbede, added that the protesters who mistaken the effigies to be a Federal Government property, attacked it burning it beyond recognition.

According to Elegbede, “It took the state government months to get the sculpture to site because we were unable to get the contractor, Dr. Bodun Shodeinde who designed it in 1991. And when we got him, we had to wait for him to evaluate the extent of damage, the cost and the duration of repair.”

It would be recalled that the sculpture was erect during the administration of Colonel Raji Rasaki. It was first rehabilitated on December 17th, 2004. Although he did not disclose the cost of the rehabilitation, but said that it took the state government time to allocate the fund for the rehabilitation of the statue; the reason was that the fund was not captured in the 2012 budget.

Speaking further, Shodeinde said that due to the extent of the burns, the work took more days than expected, adding “53 days was earlier scheduled for the full repairs but it took three and half months before we could fix it.”

He said that attack on the statue was arson. And the portions affected by the fire were reduced to ashes. The Sculptor however, faulted the present location of the sculpture saying “the present location of the 21 feet by 14 feet sculpture placed on a 7 feet pedestal, has affected the purpose of the statue.” Shodeinde explained that the sculpture was designed to depict the state cultural heritage which distinguishes it from other states, and to usher in visitors and tourist into the state.

He however said that the purpose has been defeated with the present relocation of the effigies. On the best location, Shodeinde said, “The best location would have been across that road at the entry point to Lagos on the Lagos-Ibadan Express road.”

It would be recalled that the sculpture was removed from the express road after it was first damaged and rehabilitated on December 17th, 2004. According to him, “it can be constructed on a purposeful built pedestrian bridge that would serve dual functions of beautification and pedestrian crossing.”

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/10/lagos-three-elders-back-under-close-watch/

Where they sell human part..... Aso market

Annex is at Borno

There was a general laughter today at the Council chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja when President Muhammadu Buhari referred to the Minister of State for Environment, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Jibrin as “Your Highness”.

Buhari who arrived the council chamber for the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at 11:01am had, after the National Anthem, said ” prayers your Highness”, referring to Jibrin.

lol...like this post: https://www.nairaland.com/4894168/aso-rock-chaos-buhari-takes .right?
Fool

Lwkmd.... U b idiot

nonye6194:
But mods that push sturvs to front page sef

There are several interesting articles/posts by folks on several sections on this NL that never make fp. posts that can add value to the larger audience fp attracts. But no, it won't make fp


But if it's a post about the vaguest thing a popular actor or artiste does, it would make front page, almost as twice as the speed of lightening before thunder

Exactly.... So many of my articles... Just die after 22 comment

State of your polytechnic

Auchipoly under lock and keys

babyfaceafrica:
lolz..David mark has stayed linger in the senate..my brother the youth has no future in this country

E ye salobua (bini dialect)

[quote author=akinhanger post=73767934]
He said, “I have been a member of this House for 16 years. We have never, by precedence, custom and tradition, debated a letter which is by way of information. If there is the need to debate the President’s letter, we will table it on the Order Paper for debate


16yrs??...WTF.. How did we get here Who are now the leaders of tomorrow

For 16yrs...WTF

And someone says we r d leader of tomorrow

2horsePOWER:
Pictures can be quite decieving.
I'm in my 5th year, never knew my school is this beautiful.

Abi

After my posting I got this letter.. I don't know their intentions

Sowore better merge with Atiku

Akinowon123:
Op, are u normal.

Wait first, let me educate u since you chose not to have sense

1. Most people out there create nairaland thread and make tons of money from it.

You create thread just for u to fool people and u are proud

2. At your age, u go up and down on someone else platform behaving like a kid. Meanwhile Seun created this when he was not even your age

3. Am sorry, if av offended you but somethings aint normal.....

SHALOM

U must be mentally unstable

Runs girl

Most persons don't believe BUHARI is Jubril yet see as una jump inside this trend


Happy Sunday all

Don't marry anybody from Duara

In a joint sitting.... PDP can get 2/3rd