After almost four months, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Universities (SSANU), Non Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) have all suspended their strikes. THISDAY reporters last week visited many of the campuses across the country to find out what prize they had to pay
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
There was hardly any Nigerian that was not affected by what may be referred to as the “combined strikes' by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Universities (SSANU), Non Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), either directly or indirectly.
The relief was therefore universal when all the strikes were suspended last week, after the unions were able to reach some agreements with the government. From Sokoto to Bayelsa, Ondo to Adamawa states, THISDAY reporters visited several universities for on-the-spot assessment of the cost of the industrial action.
With the exception of about five that did not join the strike, including, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Adamawa State University, Mubi; University of Ilorin, Ebonyi and Enugu States Universities; federal and state universities in the country, 67 in all, have lost at least a semester.
Academic calendars that a good number of them were struggling to adjust to the good old 'September to July' have once again been dislocated. University of Jos (UNIJOS)'s calendar, for example was far behind those of many others. With one whole semester lost, the institution has been pushed further back.
Many of the universities were about to start their examinations when the strike began and in just about a week after the suspension, a few of them started their examinations last Monday. Some students even wrote tests a day after getting back to school.
Information Officer of the University of Calabar, Dr. Joseph Ekpang captured the consequence of this: students were returning to school rusty and this may lead to increase in examination malpractices and other vices as lecturers were bound to rush students in the remaining part of the session.
These are the easily observable losses. There are others that are easily overlooked but no less devastating. As Ekpang again observed, “the real cost of the strike is the dislocation of the economy of Cross River State, which revolves around the student population.”
This is true of all the institutions. Indeed, any school for that matter. A widow and mother of three, who prefers anonymity, runs a snacks shop at the University of Lagos. She described the strike as “a terrible experience because that (shop) is all we depend on for livelihood. There are some of the shops that are run by both husband and wife, so you can imagine. These strikes make businesses to collapse because they happen suddenly and many of things we sell, like packaged drinks, biscuits and gala expire and cannot be sold again. Whether we sell or not, we pay for the shops annually. It takes time for us to recover because things are so expensive now”, she lamented.
Usman Danfodio University (UDU), Sokoto, which announced immediate resumption of lectures on October 19, showed clearly the difference between an abandoned campus and an inhabited one. Mohammed Aminu reports that black boards in some lecture theatres on the main campus were cracked. Some of the reagents in the laboratories, especially the chemical pathology laboratories that would have been used up by now to train medical students had expired.
It was also observed that the cadaver, preserved for the training of 500-600 level medical students had been destroyed and no longer useful, because those that would have replenished the chemicals used in preserving them were on strike. In addition to this, weeds had overgrown some of the hostels on the main campus, while some rooms in the hostels needed new electric bulbs.
The situation was however completely different at the city campus where most of the students were allowed to stay in the hostels during the strike action.
Like many universities, those most affected were second and third-year medical students, who were about to write their examination before the strike commenced. The school authorities therefore generally allowed students to stay in the hostels, while lecture rooms and libraries were also open. As such, most of the facilities at the city campus were still intact.
Augustine Osayande also reports from Jalingo that the Taraba State University was approved by the National University Commission (NUC), several months before the ASUU strike, but when he visited the mini campus, located within the state polytechnic in Jalingo, not even the minimum facilities required for a university to take off were on ground. Observers have questioned the rationale behind the approval. At the proposed permanent site of the university at the state College of Education, construction work had been put on hold for financial reasons.
Normalcy is gradually returning to the system. A lecturer in the Microbiology Department at UNIJOS, Mr. Ezekiel Danjuma, told Seriki Adinoyi that, "all the laboratory specimens we prepared and cultured to teach students got wasted as they could not be preserved through the long strike period."
Another in the Mass Communication Department,Major Adeyi said, "this morning I had a good attendance of about 50 student in my class. We want to try to get back to work in full force to enable us cover lost grounds."
In the Human Physiology Department of the Faculty of Medicine, the reporter learnt that the Post-graduate admission exercise that should have been completed was put on hold because of the strike. "We now wait for directive from the postgraduate school to know what next to do”, a source said.
UNIJOS is considering admitting new students based on their JAMB scores alone as the Post UME screening that was conducted during the strike was cancelled, because the local Chapter of ASUU protested the engagement of a Laqgos-based firm to conduct another written test for the candidates, instead of the face-to-face interaction between them and lecturers.
At the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Uche Nnaike saw labourers clearing the weeds that were threatening to take over the campus. University Librarian, Dr. Okanlawon Adediji said his department could not participate in an online international programme, which held during the strike. Now that academic activities have resumed, he said there would be a lot of pressure on the facilities, as students would scramble for the limited spaces and materials in the library.
He said various departments usually do some maintenance work on some of their facilities during the long vacation, but this could not happen during the strike. Since they did not know when it would be suspended, being caught in the middle of the work would be disruptive to the system.
Adediji said the library remained open during the strike to accommodate lecturers and students who seized the opportunity to conduct some research. On the after effect of the strike, he said most students would not make the next batch of the National Youth Service Corps programme and the Law School. This he said would lead to a surge in the next batch.
Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Oluwole Familoni said lecturers were kept in suspense, not knowing when the strike would be called off. As such, they could neither go on holidays nor attend conferences and other self-development programmes within and outside country.
A final year student of the Department of Cell Biology/Genetics, Mr. Francis Imoh confirmed that there has been a rush in the academic programme and students, especially finalists were given unrealistic deadlines for the submission of projects and other assignments.
He also confirmed that samples for students' experiment went bad as the laboratories were shut down. Besides, no attendant was available to guide students through their experiments because the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) was also on strike. This, he said, meant extra cost for the students.
While Imoh said the hostels needed to be renovated, an attendant at the Physics Laboratory, who preferred anonymity, said since the equipment were in good condition the last time they were used and was kept in a secured place, they were fine.
The University of Ilorin has not gone on strike, an aftermath of the crisis that led to the sack of 49 of its lecturers in 2001. It was therefore not affected by the latest strike. When Hameed Shittu visited the institution, which resumed for 2009/2010 academic session last month, students were seen in their various lecture halls.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, said the university had no regret over the non participation of its workers in the nation-wide strike. Although the university had been criticised over its position on the strike, he said posterity will vindicate the institution on the matter.
“It is part of our academic freedom to think differently at this stage of our institutional experience. We agree that people have the right to disagree and we share the sentiments of the 36th American president, Lyndon B. Johnson when he said 'where three people are discussing and two are nodding in agreement, only one person is thinking'.
“If thinking about the future of future generations and making sacrifice for the university system not to collapse are what we are criticised for, so be it. Our sense of probity is profound and posterity will ultimately vindicate the righteous”, he said. Oloyede said there are some people who deceitfully criticise programmes and activities of the university overtly, but show covertly that they envy the success it has recorded.
Staff and students of the Imo State University (IMSU), Owerri, resumed work immediately the strike was called off and academic activities began in earnest. The Spokesman, Sir Henry Acholonu told Amby Uneze that the academic calendar and conduct of the post-UME exercise were disrupted. The Senate has met to fine-tune the calendar for the remaining semesters.
While most of the infrastructures were in good condition, Acholonu admitted the school could do with more. The institution also suffered from erosion and environmental degradation while the strike lasted. But the Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Okere mobilised casual workers to tackle them.
Toba Suleiman, who visited the University of Ado-Ekiti (UNAD), Ekiti State, found the entire campus over-grown weeds. The buildings, including the lectures theatres, were virtually submerged by the tall weeds,
Despite the suspension of the strike, UNAD was still struggling to get into the full swing of academic work as lecturers were yet to resume and students, who were yet to move into the hostels, were seen roaming about the university campus, lamenting their fate.
Besides, both the library and laboratory were apparently suffering from lack of use. The Registrar, Dr. Omojola Awosusi said academic activities could not resume until after the Senate has met and reviewed the academic calendar.
Whereas the second semester examination was scheduled for November in the original calendar, the school is yet to conduct that of the first semester. Law students that had lost six months in the former calendar have now lost a year, while some experiments in agricultural research have been abandoned and the researchers have to start all over again.
He expressed regret that the strike has had adverse effects on a lot of activities in the institution as it had been shut, following a student unrest, before the general strike began.
Adamawa State University, Mubi, established about four years ago, is yet to be unionised and so did not join the strike. Not so the Federal University of Technology Yola (FUTY). The Vice-Chancellor, of FUTY, Prof. Bashir Usman, who took Matthew Onah round the campus, described the effect of the strike on the university infrastructure as devastating.
Although they were yet to fully assess the impact, he said the management was compelled to hire more than 50 private sanitation workers, at a huge cost, to cut the grasses and weeds that almost overwhelmed the university during the period of the strike, which was the peak of the rainy season.
Usman further said, they were conducting a general assessment of the laboratories and workshops, to check which chemicals had expired and needed to be replaced and which machinery to retool.
With dirt and cobwebs adorning every office, laboratories, lecture theatres and workshops, the Vice Chancellor observed that the sanitation workers would have to work overtime to make the environment habitable before the students would be allowed to resume, this week.
Despite the suspension of the national strike, the local branches of all the four unions at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo remain in the trenches due to a protracted dispute with the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Akanni Hussain and his management team.
The unions were agitating for improved conditions of service, welfare package and good working relationship, among others. They also alleged victimisation, harassment and intimidation by the Vice Chancellor, who they also accused of contract inflation.
Funmi Ogundare, who visited, reports that equipment and structures were gathering dust. A lecturer who preferred anonymity in the Foreign Language Laboratory said, “the laboratory is a 2004/2005 project, what we have here is skeletal equipment. Nothing is functional.” Another lecturer in the Department of Public Relations and Advertising, Adebola Adegunwa School of Communication, Mr. Adewole Adeoye said most of the computers and other facilities in his department had deteriorated owning to lack of use for a long time. Yet another lecturer in the Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Dr. Tajudeen Abanikanda said the institution was endowed with sufficient financial, human and material resources, but unfortunately, “it is the problem of leadership and management that had gotten us to where we are today.”
He regretted that the institution's resources were properly channeled. Before the ASUU strike, he said, he was engaged in a research which was 80 percent completed, but he had to start all over again because the subjects were human. The project was neither supported nor funded by the institution. “I am in the Faculty of Sciences and the so called laboratories we have are nothing to write home about. The university says it has a central research laboratory, but I can tell you that it is nothing but a hoax.”
Abanikanda drew attention to the SL Edu lecture theatre saying, “I met that building on ground and nothing has been added since then. If you go to the Faculty of Sciences, you will see some car parks (with) money running into millions spent in constructing the car park which is sufficient to give us an auditorium for students to receive lectures. Unless the Vice Chancellor is removed from office, LASU will not be back to life”, he said.
Ekpang told Ernest Chinwo that neither facilities nor the environment of the University of Calabar suffered any depreciation as daily paid workers were used to maintain them.“What we basically lost”, the Information Officer said, “was the academic calendar. The implications are obvious. For instance, we had projected that the new session would start in October but because of the strike, it will now start in February (next year).” The university's Committee of Deans had already come out with a revised calendar with lectures beginning last Monday, October 26.
Deputy Registrar Information and Protocol, at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Mr Omololu Adegbenro also told James Sowole that the university's facilities were maintained throughout the period of strike. According to him, the workers in the school's Parks and Gardens of the school, who were responsible for cleaning of the environment and halls of residence, are contractors that do not go on strike.
Academic activities had since commenced in earnest "At FUTA we did not have much problem over the strike. The calendar was only affected slightly, which we are already coping with and normal academic activities already going on. THISDAY learnt that despite the strike, academic staff that were carrying out one form of research or the other continued with their work because they knew that their promotion depended on these.
The Wilberforce Island campus of the Niger Delta University (NDU) was in a good state and the facilities, well managed when Segun James visited. But this was not the case at the Faculty of Law in Yenagoa, which was overgrown with weeds. The University's Teaching Hospital at Okolobiri was worse as almost all the physical infrastructures were falling apart.
Most of the internal road networks within the hospital had given way, including the one leading to the ever busy mortuary. People who came to pick the remains of their loved ones had to carry them over a distance to get to where their vehicles were parked.
The small campus in Amassoma bounced back to life immediately the strike was called off. The grasses were all trimmed and some construction work going on when THISDAY called. Some students interviewed confirmed that majority of them live off campus.
Even though the laboratories, lecture halls and hostels were in good shape, cleaners at the old site of Bayero University, Kano (BUK) must have remained on strike when Ibrahim Shuaibu called, with the heaps of refuse littering everywhere. The hostels were particularly bad.
Members of the university community continue to grapple with the perennial problem of inadequate transportation between the two campuses of the university as lecturers and students resumed, but were merely idling away as academic activities were yet to start.
The situation was the same at the Kano State University of Science and Technology (KUST), Wudil, lecturers and students have resumed with nothing to do. THISDAY learnt that lectures may not commence in the next two weeks as some structures were being renovated.
Both personnel and medications were available at the university clinic in BUK, but some students said they preferred to visit hospitals in the city due to alleged unnecessary bureaucracy at the clinic.
Asked why lectures had not commenced, Chairman of the BUK chapter of ASUU, Dr. Abdullahi Bichi Baffa said the suspension of the strike meant that lecturers were to report to their offices. It is the responsibility of university authorities to call students back.
A lecturer at KUST, Malam Muhammad Sani Gaya told THISDAY that he and his colleagues were eager to return to work, considering the a whole semester had been lost to the strike.
How can the nation avoid these losses? Former Minister of Education, Prof. Babatunde Fafunwa provided the answer: Dialogue, dialogue and dialogu. Asked to react to the signing of the Agreement between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) last week, he expressed hope that, from now on, any issue between the government and university workers would be settled through dialogue and not strikes because “strike is an ill-wind that blows no one any good.”
campusflava
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The protest by blind graduates in Imo
THE recurring protests by physically challenged persons in some states of the federation with regard to their welfare and official responses are a sad comment on the governance process. This is increasingly the case as this category of citizens who require some form of assistance insist on their right to human dignity. The true measure of a society lies in its treatment of its less privileged members. Unfortunately, such agitation for better treatment in the past by the less privileged met with little or no success. It is time government in collaboration with civil society defined a comprehensive and meaningful framework for addressing the concerns of the physically challenged in our midst.
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
The latest group of protesters, members of an association of visually impaired graduates and non-graduates, recently disrupted economic activities in Owerri, Imo State, as they marched on the Government House, alleging insensitivity to their plight by the state government. Before the Owerri protest, another group of physically challenged persons had protested on the streets of Jalingo, the Taraba State capital over the failure of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to pay certain grants allegedly promised them at the end of their training in various vocations, to help them set up small businesses.
The key message in these protests is clear. The physically challenged are saying that they deserve the support of both public and private sectors; that they are no longer prepared to be a burden to anybody in spite of life's challenges. Often, both government and other stakeholders treat the physically challenged condescendingly, placing emphasis on charity instead of rights and justice.
The displeasure of the Owerri group centred on the non-provision of employment opportunities for them after graduation. They also protested the alleged stoppage of bursary and scholarship allowances to their members despite several appeals to the state government. Group spokesman Mr. Clinton Amaechi was particular about the neglect by the present administration: "Since this administration came to power, the disabled persons in the state have been experiencing a lot of difficulties. So many of us have graduated and we don't have jobs." Again, that touches on the rather difficult situation the country faces over employment generation initiatives. The unemployment index in the country continues to rise, with many Nigerians placed at a disadvantage.
Amaechi's touching comments in refuting claims of government officials in the media that his association had been taken care of should be investigated by Governor Ikedi Ohakim. The same goes for the disclosure that nobody pays them (visually challenged students) the allowances and bursary any longer "since this administration came on board". The governor was reportedly away at the time of the protest. He should feel obliged to respond to the physically challenged persons' concern. It is particularly not good enough that the protest was brought under control by Government House security staff who raised emergency fund for the blind graduates on compassionate grounds, because no government official was available to attend to them.
Mr. Ohakim should not rule out the possibility of deceit by government functionaries. That, of course, has been the trademark of some government departments or agencies that are supposed to cater for special groups in society. With political scientists, lawyers and other professionals among them, the blind graduates do not deserve the harrowing experiences they are being subjected to (or to be left to moan their fate) after struggling to acquire higher education.
Allowing the students among them to suffer deprivation or ignoring the graduates is a reflection of the poor state of affairs in the country. The resolve of the graduates among them to work, and not to beg for survival, should encourage both the state government and the private sector to consider them for employment.
The incidents in Imo and Taraba states are by no means peculiar. This is a national problem which deserves the attention of the Federal and state authorities as well as the private sector and civil society groups. Bills could be considered as a matter of priority by the various legislative houses to review existing welfare provisions - if they are found inadequate - to address the fears that have been expressed. But in the long run the best approach is to create opportunities for all categories of Nigerians. The environment is hostile for both the able-bodied and the physically challenged raising serious questions about the quality of human life in the country.
The economy should be revitalised, investor-confidence needs to be restored to create an economy where persons can be gainfully employed, including the weak and vulnerable. A social security scheme, once proposed but abandoned, would also prove useful as a means of transforming Nigeria into a citizen-friendly and compassionate society.
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
The latest group of protesters, members of an association of visually impaired graduates and non-graduates, recently disrupted economic activities in Owerri, Imo State, as they marched on the Government House, alleging insensitivity to their plight by the state government. Before the Owerri protest, another group of physically challenged persons had protested on the streets of Jalingo, the Taraba State capital over the failure of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to pay certain grants allegedly promised them at the end of their training in various vocations, to help them set up small businesses.
The key message in these protests is clear. The physically challenged are saying that they deserve the support of both public and private sectors; that they are no longer prepared to be a burden to anybody in spite of life's challenges. Often, both government and other stakeholders treat the physically challenged condescendingly, placing emphasis on charity instead of rights and justice.
The displeasure of the Owerri group centred on the non-provision of employment opportunities for them after graduation. They also protested the alleged stoppage of bursary and scholarship allowances to their members despite several appeals to the state government. Group spokesman Mr. Clinton Amaechi was particular about the neglect by the present administration: "Since this administration came to power, the disabled persons in the state have been experiencing a lot of difficulties. So many of us have graduated and we don't have jobs." Again, that touches on the rather difficult situation the country faces over employment generation initiatives. The unemployment index in the country continues to rise, with many Nigerians placed at a disadvantage.
Amaechi's touching comments in refuting claims of government officials in the media that his association had been taken care of should be investigated by Governor Ikedi Ohakim. The same goes for the disclosure that nobody pays them (visually challenged students) the allowances and bursary any longer "since this administration came on board". The governor was reportedly away at the time of the protest. He should feel obliged to respond to the physically challenged persons' concern. It is particularly not good enough that the protest was brought under control by Government House security staff who raised emergency fund for the blind graduates on compassionate grounds, because no government official was available to attend to them.
Mr. Ohakim should not rule out the possibility of deceit by government functionaries. That, of course, has been the trademark of some government departments or agencies that are supposed to cater for special groups in society. With political scientists, lawyers and other professionals among them, the blind graduates do not deserve the harrowing experiences they are being subjected to (or to be left to moan their fate) after struggling to acquire higher education.
Allowing the students among them to suffer deprivation or ignoring the graduates is a reflection of the poor state of affairs in the country. The resolve of the graduates among them to work, and not to beg for survival, should encourage both the state government and the private sector to consider them for employment.
The incidents in Imo and Taraba states are by no means peculiar. This is a national problem which deserves the attention of the Federal and state authorities as well as the private sector and civil society groups. Bills could be considered as a matter of priority by the various legislative houses to review existing welfare provisions - if they are found inadequate - to address the fears that have been expressed. But in the long run the best approach is to create opportunities for all categories of Nigerians. The environment is hostile for both the able-bodied and the physically challenged raising serious questions about the quality of human life in the country.
The economy should be revitalised, investor-confidence needs to be restored to create an economy where persons can be gainfully employed, including the weak and vulnerable. A social security scheme, once proposed but abandoned, would also prove useful as a means of transforming Nigeria into a citizen-friendly and compassionate society.
OAUTHC designs medical equipment
Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife has designed seven local medical equipment which will boost effective delivery of medical services in the country.
The Chairman of the Management Board of OAUTHC, Professor Ebenezer Oluwole Akande who disclosed this at a press conference in Ile-Ife on Tuesday said that the equipment were designed by the Biomedical Engineering department of the hospital.
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
The equipment, he said, included an angle poise lamp, a laboratory incubator, a centrifuge, a baby incubator, a suction machine, an orbital blood rocker and an electrophoresis machine.
Akande, who said that the equipment which were fabricated with available local materials took cognisance of major challenges posed by power and water which had become endemic in the environment.
Commending the Biomedical Engineering department for the feat, Professor Akande said the board was impressed with the invention, innovation and practical demonstration of selfless service that has led to the production of this equipment.
In his speech, the Head of department, Mr. Samuel Akomolafe, explained that the department embarked on fabrication of the medical equipment as a result of the challenge posed by constant breakdown of imported equipment due to irregular power supply.
He also said that the equipment would reduce over-dependence on foreign medical products, adding that they were easy to operate and repair.
Mr. Akomolafe said that the fabrication of equipment would reduce unemployment and promote indigenous technology in the country.
The Chairman of the Management Board of OAUTHC, Professor Ebenezer Oluwole Akande who disclosed this at a press conference in Ile-Ife on Tuesday said that the equipment were designed by the Biomedical Engineering department of the hospital.
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
The equipment, he said, included an angle poise lamp, a laboratory incubator, a centrifuge, a baby incubator, a suction machine, an orbital blood rocker and an electrophoresis machine.
Akande, who said that the equipment which were fabricated with available local materials took cognisance of major challenges posed by power and water which had become endemic in the environment.
Commending the Biomedical Engineering department for the feat, Professor Akande said the board was impressed with the invention, innovation and practical demonstration of selfless service that has led to the production of this equipment.
In his speech, the Head of department, Mr. Samuel Akomolafe, explained that the department embarked on fabrication of the medical equipment as a result of the challenge posed by constant breakdown of imported equipment due to irregular power supply.
He also said that the equipment would reduce over-dependence on foreign medical products, adding that they were easy to operate and repair.
Mr. Akomolafe said that the fabrication of equipment would reduce unemployment and promote indigenous technology in the country.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
CRUTECH Workers Begin Indefinite Strike
Barely two week after the suspension of the three-month old national strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which disrupted activities in most government owned universities across the country, four industrial unions at the Cross River State University of Technology (CRUTECH) have embarked on another indefinite strike.
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
The action has thus dashed student's hope of resuming normal academic activities on campus after the strike that left them frustrated.
Members of the institution's branch of ASUU, Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Universities (SSANU), and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) held a peaceful demonstration at the Calabar campus of the university to protest what they called the state government's insensitivity to the plight of staff of the institution.
The workers, clad in black and carrying green leaves and placards, marched round the university and its environs, chanting solidarity songs. Some of the placards read: “Tourism and Carnival without Education means nothing to Cross Riverians”; “CRUTECH staff are the Least Paid among Nigerian Universities”; “Remember, Tourism without Education is Useless”; “CRUTECH is not Part of Civil Service”; “Save CRUTECH from total collapse”. among others.
The protesters resolved to embark on an indefinite strike action until the state government met all their demands.
Presenting their demands to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Eneobong Eneobong, since they were denied access into the governor's office by law enforcement agents, Chairman of the CRUTECH branch of ASUU, Dr. Nsing Ogar, who spoke on behalf of all the unions, said they decided to embark on the strike because of poor remuneration, poor working environment, dilapidated infrastructures and the insensitivity of government to workers' demands.
He said the strike would be “indefinite and total”, adding that there would not be academic activities, senate meetings, sale of forms, writing of aptitude test and general administration at the institution.
Ogar said ASUU's grouse included non payment of the consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (UASS) approved and enjoyed in other universities since 2007; non payment of arrears of monetisation (October 2003 to December 2005); non payment of arrears of HATISS (16 months), non payment of arrears of Teaching practice/SIWES allowance (February to date); non payment of arrears of promotions to deserving staff and non payment of twelve and a half of UASS from October 2005 to December 2006, among others.
“As stakeholders, ASUU CRUTECH has demonstrated sufficient and uncommon understanding, support and patience in appreciation of our conceived desire to build a university of excellence that is among the first class and second to none in the country. However, these lofty goals can only come to fruition when the enabling environment is provided and guaranteed, where the academic workforce is sufficiently motivated to produce the desired output. It is just too unfortunate and unimaginable to note that ASUU, CRUTECH branch resolved to embark upon a local strike action immediately after the suspension of the national strike on Friday, October 9, 2009. The strike is definite and total”, he stressed.
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
The action has thus dashed student's hope of resuming normal academic activities on campus after the strike that left them frustrated.
Members of the institution's branch of ASUU, Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Universities (SSANU), and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) held a peaceful demonstration at the Calabar campus of the university to protest what they called the state government's insensitivity to the plight of staff of the institution.
The workers, clad in black and carrying green leaves and placards, marched round the university and its environs, chanting solidarity songs. Some of the placards read: “Tourism and Carnival without Education means nothing to Cross Riverians”; “CRUTECH staff are the Least Paid among Nigerian Universities”; “Remember, Tourism without Education is Useless”; “CRUTECH is not Part of Civil Service”; “Save CRUTECH from total collapse”. among others.
The protesters resolved to embark on an indefinite strike action until the state government met all their demands.
Presenting their demands to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Eneobong Eneobong, since they were denied access into the governor's office by law enforcement agents, Chairman of the CRUTECH branch of ASUU, Dr. Nsing Ogar, who spoke on behalf of all the unions, said they decided to embark on the strike because of poor remuneration, poor working environment, dilapidated infrastructures and the insensitivity of government to workers' demands.
He said the strike would be “indefinite and total”, adding that there would not be academic activities, senate meetings, sale of forms, writing of aptitude test and general administration at the institution.
Ogar said ASUU's grouse included non payment of the consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (UASS) approved and enjoyed in other universities since 2007; non payment of arrears of monetisation (October 2003 to December 2005); non payment of arrears of HATISS (16 months), non payment of arrears of Teaching practice/SIWES allowance (February to date); non payment of arrears of promotions to deserving staff and non payment of twelve and a half of UASS from October 2005 to December 2006, among others.
“As stakeholders, ASUU CRUTECH has demonstrated sufficient and uncommon understanding, support and patience in appreciation of our conceived desire to build a university of excellence that is among the first class and second to none in the country. However, these lofty goals can only come to fruition when the enabling environment is provided and guaranteed, where the academic workforce is sufficiently motivated to produce the desired output. It is just too unfortunate and unimaginable to note that ASUU, CRUTECH branch resolved to embark upon a local strike action immediately after the suspension of the national strike on Friday, October 9, 2009. The strike is definite and total”, he stressed.
UNIVERSITY OF BENIN
The University of Benin, in Benin City, Nigeria, is one of the country's major universities
History
The university was founded in 1970, and teaches in a broad range of subjects, including a medical school. It has a student enrollment of approximately 36,000.
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
In 1985, Grace Alele-Williams became Nigeria's first female vice-chancellor when she was appointed to head the University of Benin. She served as its Vice-Chancellor until 1991.
The University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria was founded in 1970. It started as an Institute of Technology and was accorded the status of a full-fledged University by National Universities Commission (NUC) on 1 July 1971. In his Budget Speech in April, 1972, the then Military Governor of Mid-Western State, Col. S.O. Ogbemudia [then also Visitor to the University formally announced the change of the name of the Institute of Technology to the University of Benin.
At the onset, the university was situated at Ekewan Road. In 1972,a project to build a main campus at Ugbowo and Ekosodin commenced with Engineer Daniel Uhimwen as the director. Today, the main site is at Ugbowo but some courses are still offered at the Ekewan campus.
On 1 April 1975, the University, at the request of the State Government, was taken over by the Federal Government and became a Federal University. Today, the University has continued to grow from strength to strength with a number of Faculties, Departments, Institutes and Units.
Faculties and courses
Following NUC's directives, the University experimented with the Collegiate System in 1991/92 and 1992/93. However, in the light of new developments, the University reverted to the Faculty System in January 1994. Presently; the University essentially operates the Faculty System except for the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, Basic Medical Sciences, and Institute of Child Health, which reverted back to the Collegiate System in August 1999, with a Provost as its administrative head. The Faculties as presently constituted are those of Agriculture, Arts, Education, Engineering, Law, Pharmacy, Life Sciences, Physical sciences,Social Sciences,Management Sciences and the College of Medical Sciences.
The University offers courses at various levels: Postgraduate, Undergraduate, Diploma and Certificate. Presently, the total student enrolment stands at over 40,000 made up of both full-time and part-time students shared among the various Faculties.
Library
The University Main Library, John Harris Library, was named after the pioneer University Librarian, Prof John Harris, from New Zealand. The Library came into existence with the inception of the University in 1970 at the Ekehuan Road Campus John Harris Library is an Ultra-Modern building with central air–conditioning. The building is designed to seat about 700 readers. It provides photocopying, duplicating, laminating and binding services for readers. The library has now been computerized. Installation of other modern information technology facilities is on going. With the high increase in student population, the library has embarked on an expansion programme of Library system with the establishment of Faculty Libraries of which Ekehuan Road campus Library, Medical Library, Law, Engineering and Pharmacy Library are functional. John Harris Library extension is awaiting commissioning. The Library participates in inter-library co-operation among Nigerian academic libraries.
History
The university was founded in 1970, and teaches in a broad range of subjects, including a medical school. It has a student enrollment of approximately 36,000.
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
In 1985, Grace Alele-Williams became Nigeria's first female vice-chancellor when she was appointed to head the University of Benin. She served as its Vice-Chancellor until 1991.
The University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria was founded in 1970. It started as an Institute of Technology and was accorded the status of a full-fledged University by National Universities Commission (NUC) on 1 July 1971. In his Budget Speech in April, 1972, the then Military Governor of Mid-Western State, Col. S.O. Ogbemudia [then also Visitor to the University formally announced the change of the name of the Institute of Technology to the University of Benin.
At the onset, the university was situated at Ekewan Road. In 1972,a project to build a main campus at Ugbowo and Ekosodin commenced with Engineer Daniel Uhimwen as the director. Today, the main site is at Ugbowo but some courses are still offered at the Ekewan campus.
On 1 April 1975, the University, at the request of the State Government, was taken over by the Federal Government and became a Federal University. Today, the University has continued to grow from strength to strength with a number of Faculties, Departments, Institutes and Units.
Faculties and courses
Following NUC's directives, the University experimented with the Collegiate System in 1991/92 and 1992/93. However, in the light of new developments, the University reverted to the Faculty System in January 1994. Presently; the University essentially operates the Faculty System except for the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, Basic Medical Sciences, and Institute of Child Health, which reverted back to the Collegiate System in August 1999, with a Provost as its administrative head. The Faculties as presently constituted are those of Agriculture, Arts, Education, Engineering, Law, Pharmacy, Life Sciences, Physical sciences,Social Sciences,Management Sciences and the College of Medical Sciences.
The University offers courses at various levels: Postgraduate, Undergraduate, Diploma and Certificate. Presently, the total student enrolment stands at over 40,000 made up of both full-time and part-time students shared among the various Faculties.
Library
The University Main Library, John Harris Library, was named after the pioneer University Librarian, Prof John Harris, from New Zealand. The Library came into existence with the inception of the University in 1970 at the Ekehuan Road Campus John Harris Library is an Ultra-Modern building with central air–conditioning. The building is designed to seat about 700 readers. It provides photocopying, duplicating, laminating and binding services for readers. The library has now been computerized. Installation of other modern information technology facilities is on going. With the high increase in student population, the library has embarked on an expansion programme of Library system with the establishment of Faculty Libraries of which Ekehuan Road campus Library, Medical Library, Law, Engineering and Pharmacy Library are functional. John Harris Library extension is awaiting commissioning. The Library participates in inter-library co-operation among Nigerian academic libraries.
Nigerian Law School's unfair treatment
SIR: The institution conferred with the authority to decide the fate of law graduates in Nigeria is the Nigerian Law School. Every year universities are requested to send the data of graduates or graduating students to the Nigerian Law School. These eligible candidates then apply.
Unfortunately some universities admit more than the number allotted to them by the supervisory authority. Or sometimes universities which comply with the decision policy have their academic session disrupted as a result of either a strike action or internal crisis which usually affects academic calendar. The result is the backlog of students waiting to be admitted into the Law School.
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
Since the Law School does not admit more than the quota allotted to the universities, what it does is taking the number allotted and dropping the rest. What this means is that not all eligible candidates who apply gain admission. Be that as it may, it is expected that those who were not admitted the previous year should be given preference the following year. This however is not the case with the Nigerian Law School. Once admission is not given, the case of the affected applicants is treated as if they did not apply at all. This means the universities are expected to re-forward their names the following year.
But the Nigerian factor comes to play as many universities send new names without including the affected students whose data were sent the previous year, but were not admitted. The Nigerian Law School uses minor queries such as "LLB result not received from your university", "Employment Form not received" and so on to drop applicants. These excuses are used as an escape route to avoid admitting more than what the facilities in the four campuses can accommodate.
One expects that Application Forms of the eligible candidates who were not admitted should be kept and preserved by the Nigerian Law School, so that the following year, their names would be displayed on the Law School portal with the instruction that they should re-apply and submit their Application Forms through their respective schools.
Law graduates should be treated as degree holders like their counterparts from other disciplines. They do not deserve to be treated as candidates sitting for Universities Matriculation Examination. Having graduated, the society already accords some respect to them as lawyers; so to treat them otherwise make people look down on the legal profession.
The Nigerian Law School should reconsider its current method of application as it does not give good image to this noble profession.
Unfortunately some universities admit more than the number allotted to them by the supervisory authority. Or sometimes universities which comply with the decision policy have their academic session disrupted as a result of either a strike action or internal crisis which usually affects academic calendar. The result is the backlog of students waiting to be admitted into the Law School.
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
Since the Law School does not admit more than the quota allotted to the universities, what it does is taking the number allotted and dropping the rest. What this means is that not all eligible candidates who apply gain admission. Be that as it may, it is expected that those who were not admitted the previous year should be given preference the following year. This however is not the case with the Nigerian Law School. Once admission is not given, the case of the affected applicants is treated as if they did not apply at all. This means the universities are expected to re-forward their names the following year.
But the Nigerian factor comes to play as many universities send new names without including the affected students whose data were sent the previous year, but were not admitted. The Nigerian Law School uses minor queries such as "LLB result not received from your university", "Employment Form not received" and so on to drop applicants. These excuses are used as an escape route to avoid admitting more than what the facilities in the four campuses can accommodate.
One expects that Application Forms of the eligible candidates who were not admitted should be kept and preserved by the Nigerian Law School, so that the following year, their names would be displayed on the Law School portal with the instruction that they should re-apply and submit their Application Forms through their respective schools.
Law graduates should be treated as degree holders like their counterparts from other disciplines. They do not deserve to be treated as candidates sitting for Universities Matriculation Examination. Having graduated, the society already accords some respect to them as lawyers; so to treat them otherwise make people look down on the legal profession.
The Nigerian Law School should reconsider its current method of application as it does not give good image to this noble profession.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Lead City varsity tackles NUC, NLS over accreditation
AN interesting drama is about to unfold between the Lead City University, Ibadan, Oyo State and the duo of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Nigerian Law School. This is sequel to the advertorial placed in The Guardian last Monday by the latter, enumerating the guidelines and conditions for the establishment of Faculties of Law in Nigeria. About 14 conditions were listed, accompanied by the sanctions awaiting any institution that disregards the laid down rules.
Besides, some 15 federal, 16 state and four private universities were listed as those having full or partially approved Law programmes. The four private Universities include Babcock, Madonna, Benson Idahosa and Igbinedion Universities.
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
However, the management of Lead City University is not finding this funny. Officials of the institution told The Guardia last Tuesday that they are convinced that the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Julius Okojie has personal grudges against the institution, had erected several barriers against it in the past, with the latest advertorial being a continuation of that assault. An official, who didn't want his name mentioned because he was not authorized to speak, alleged that Okojie only co-opted Dr Tahir Mamman, the Director General of the Nigerian Law School for the continued attack on the institution.
The matter in dispute is the Law Faculty of the University, which the NUC and the Law School say is unapproved. But the Dean of the institution's Faculty of Law, Prof. Oluyemi Kayode - Adedeji, a former attorney general of Osun State during the Bisi Akande administration, told The Guardian in an interview that the NUC had been economical with the truth over the matter. "How can the same NUC which granted us approval to run Law as an academic programme, now turn around to say that the programme is unapproved? He queried.
Kayode- Adeniji insisted that the Faculty of Law of the university, and the facilities it presently has, in spite of its young age, compares favourably with any Law Faculty anywhere in the country. On how the university received the advertorial, he said: "I must say that the advertisement was quite an embarrassment to the University authorities, because not only have the people from the National Universities Commission visited our Law Faculty from time to time, NUC is also aware of the existence of the Law Faculty. Even the Council of Legal Education, the custodians of the Law School, because there had been communication between the council and us on a number of occasions. Of course, there had been several correspondences between us and the NUC, including even personal visits.
"In 2007, we received a joint letter, signed by the Director General of the Nigerian Law School, and the Executive Secretary of the NUC, saying they were embarking on a census of existing Law Faculties in Nigeria, both approved and unapproved. In the course of those visits, the team visited the Lead City Faculty of Law, with representatives from both the NUC and Council. They rummaged through our Law Faculty, looked at our libraries, facilities, saw and talked to the lecturers, interviewed the students. They just wanted to be sure that there was what could be called a Law Faculty in place.
"About three months or so later, the University got a letter, conveying the approval of our Law programme. Thereafter, NUC sent an accreditation team. The team came and spent two days. The members looked at all they could look at. Then they wrote a report, which the University management read and was satisfied with and countersigned. That was in May.
We didn't get any feedback from them on this until sometime in September, when they then wrote a letter to say that, during that accreditation visit, they came to see two programmes; Biochemistry and Law, two different teams. They gave Biochemistry full accreditation, they now said they voided the accreditation visit to the Faculty of Law, and they gave a reason. They said because there was still a moratorium by the Council of Legal Education on the accreditation of new Faculties of Law.
"Well, the University was not convinced by this reason, so we wrote a protest to the NUC. Of course we didn't get a reply. We also wrote to the Minister, we also didn't get any reply. We then decided that let's bring this up with NUC, on the basis of which I then made some visits to the NUC to clarify the matter. But apparently, something must be amiss somewhere, because if, based on the facts on the ground, I don't see why this problem should arise. I have also made visits to the Director General of the Nigerian Law School, and I made it clear to him that from my own understanding of the way things work, accreditation of an academic programme is the function of the NUC and that the NUC had approved our Law programme. To say that the Council of Legal Education was not informed before we started the law programme, I told him, was not tenable, because nothing stops our graduates from stopping with their LL.B, and not going to Law School. But if at any time we had some of them express the desire to go to the Law School, we would contact the Council for Legal Education, and say please, can you come and look at our facilities and see if they are enough for the proper training of persons who desire to become legal practitioners? And I said the two are different.
"And in any case, at a point when the University felt that some of the students were already expressing the interest to go to the Law school, that was in 2007, the then Chairman, Board of Trustees, Prof. Gabriel Ogunmola wrote a letter to the Law School, inviting them to come and see our Faculty of Law. It was a very copious letter. We included the list of staff, photographs of our library, structure, our Moot Court and so on. The Law School replied and said that there was a moratorium on the accreditation of new Law Faculties, but that as soon as the moratorium was lifted, then we would see what we could do about the matter.
"Now, in April this year, when I knew that the five year moratorium was going to end, I advised the vice chancellor to renew our request to the Council to send a team for accreditation visit. And he wrote a letter. In fact, I personally delivered the letter to the Secretary of Council (of Legal Education) in Abuja. That was in April. We got a reply, I think, in June or early July to say that, well, the Council is not aware of the existence of your Faculty because you didn't get our approval before you started, therefore, we cannot send our accreditation team, but that in any case, Council is already working on guidelines for the establishment and approval of Faculties of Law. When these guidelines are out, you will see, and then we know where you belong.
"But the University promptly replied that letter, expressing utter surprise that the council of Legal education would say that it didn't know of our existence, when their representatives had visited this university at least twice that I remember. The council was part of the delegation that came to see our Faculty of Law, arising from which NUC gave us approval. And when, in any case, somebody from the Law School visited our Faulty, and in fact wrote something in our visitor's book, commending the Faculty, how could you now say you didn't know that we existed?
"The Vice Chancellor wrote back and said we do not believe that we needed your approval to start our Law programme. We only needed the approval of the NUC, because Law was on the academic brief that this University filed with government before it got a license. And we thought that with that, we could run a Law programme, and that in any case, NUC has given us approval."
However, when The Guardian called Okojie last Tuesday for comments, he declined. "I won't say anything on Lead City University. No. If they are aggrieved, they know what to do." Several phone calls made to Mamman were not picked. A text message sent to his cell phone asking for comments over the matter was also not responded to.
Next week - Full text of our interview with Prof. Kayode - Adedeji plue what the Law says about the functions of both the NUC and Law School.
Besides, some 15 federal, 16 state and four private universities were listed as those having full or partially approved Law programmes. The four private Universities include Babcock, Madonna, Benson Idahosa and Igbinedion Universities.
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
However, the management of Lead City University is not finding this funny. Officials of the institution told The Guardia last Tuesday that they are convinced that the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Julius Okojie has personal grudges against the institution, had erected several barriers against it in the past, with the latest advertorial being a continuation of that assault. An official, who didn't want his name mentioned because he was not authorized to speak, alleged that Okojie only co-opted Dr Tahir Mamman, the Director General of the Nigerian Law School for the continued attack on the institution.
The matter in dispute is the Law Faculty of the University, which the NUC and the Law School say is unapproved. But the Dean of the institution's Faculty of Law, Prof. Oluyemi Kayode - Adedeji, a former attorney general of Osun State during the Bisi Akande administration, told The Guardian in an interview that the NUC had been economical with the truth over the matter. "How can the same NUC which granted us approval to run Law as an academic programme, now turn around to say that the programme is unapproved? He queried.
Kayode- Adeniji insisted that the Faculty of Law of the university, and the facilities it presently has, in spite of its young age, compares favourably with any Law Faculty anywhere in the country. On how the university received the advertorial, he said: "I must say that the advertisement was quite an embarrassment to the University authorities, because not only have the people from the National Universities Commission visited our Law Faculty from time to time, NUC is also aware of the existence of the Law Faculty. Even the Council of Legal Education, the custodians of the Law School, because there had been communication between the council and us on a number of occasions. Of course, there had been several correspondences between us and the NUC, including even personal visits.
"In 2007, we received a joint letter, signed by the Director General of the Nigerian Law School, and the Executive Secretary of the NUC, saying they were embarking on a census of existing Law Faculties in Nigeria, both approved and unapproved. In the course of those visits, the team visited the Lead City Faculty of Law, with representatives from both the NUC and Council. They rummaged through our Law Faculty, looked at our libraries, facilities, saw and talked to the lecturers, interviewed the students. They just wanted to be sure that there was what could be called a Law Faculty in place.
"About three months or so later, the University got a letter, conveying the approval of our Law programme. Thereafter, NUC sent an accreditation team. The team came and spent two days. The members looked at all they could look at. Then they wrote a report, which the University management read and was satisfied with and countersigned. That was in May.
We didn't get any feedback from them on this until sometime in September, when they then wrote a letter to say that, during that accreditation visit, they came to see two programmes; Biochemistry and Law, two different teams. They gave Biochemistry full accreditation, they now said they voided the accreditation visit to the Faculty of Law, and they gave a reason. They said because there was still a moratorium by the Council of Legal Education on the accreditation of new Faculties of Law.
"Well, the University was not convinced by this reason, so we wrote a protest to the NUC. Of course we didn't get a reply. We also wrote to the Minister, we also didn't get any reply. We then decided that let's bring this up with NUC, on the basis of which I then made some visits to the NUC to clarify the matter. But apparently, something must be amiss somewhere, because if, based on the facts on the ground, I don't see why this problem should arise. I have also made visits to the Director General of the Nigerian Law School, and I made it clear to him that from my own understanding of the way things work, accreditation of an academic programme is the function of the NUC and that the NUC had approved our Law programme. To say that the Council of Legal Education was not informed before we started the law programme, I told him, was not tenable, because nothing stops our graduates from stopping with their LL.B, and not going to Law School. But if at any time we had some of them express the desire to go to the Law School, we would contact the Council for Legal Education, and say please, can you come and look at our facilities and see if they are enough for the proper training of persons who desire to become legal practitioners? And I said the two are different.
"And in any case, at a point when the University felt that some of the students were already expressing the interest to go to the Law school, that was in 2007, the then Chairman, Board of Trustees, Prof. Gabriel Ogunmola wrote a letter to the Law School, inviting them to come and see our Faculty of Law. It was a very copious letter. We included the list of staff, photographs of our library, structure, our Moot Court and so on. The Law School replied and said that there was a moratorium on the accreditation of new Law Faculties, but that as soon as the moratorium was lifted, then we would see what we could do about the matter.
"Now, in April this year, when I knew that the five year moratorium was going to end, I advised the vice chancellor to renew our request to the Council to send a team for accreditation visit. And he wrote a letter. In fact, I personally delivered the letter to the Secretary of Council (of Legal Education) in Abuja. That was in April. We got a reply, I think, in June or early July to say that, well, the Council is not aware of the existence of your Faculty because you didn't get our approval before you started, therefore, we cannot send our accreditation team, but that in any case, Council is already working on guidelines for the establishment and approval of Faculties of Law. When these guidelines are out, you will see, and then we know where you belong.
"But the University promptly replied that letter, expressing utter surprise that the council of Legal education would say that it didn't know of our existence, when their representatives had visited this university at least twice that I remember. The council was part of the delegation that came to see our Faculty of Law, arising from which NUC gave us approval. And when, in any case, somebody from the Law School visited our Faulty, and in fact wrote something in our visitor's book, commending the Faculty, how could you now say you didn't know that we existed?
"The Vice Chancellor wrote back and said we do not believe that we needed your approval to start our Law programme. We only needed the approval of the NUC, because Law was on the academic brief that this University filed with government before it got a license. And we thought that with that, we could run a Law programme, and that in any case, NUC has given us approval."
However, when The Guardian called Okojie last Tuesday for comments, he declined. "I won't say anything on Lead City University. No. If they are aggrieved, they know what to do." Several phone calls made to Mamman were not picked. A text message sent to his cell phone asking for comments over the matter was also not responded to.
Next week - Full text of our interview with Prof. Kayode - Adedeji plue what the Law says about the functions of both the NUC and Law School.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Non-Academic Varsity Workers Suspend Strike
LASTING peace may soon return to the university system as the three non-academic staff unions in the system have followed their teaching staff counterpart in suspending their strike action.
The unions are the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
Briefing journalists yesterday in Abuja, the President of SSANU, Mr. Promise Adewusi, said the decision to suspend the strike was informed by the need to give room for negotiation to take place.
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
He added that the unions in their usual tradition conducted referendum among their members in the various branches across the country, which showed majority of their members agreeing to the suspension of the four-month-old industrial action.
He said: "The three unions in line with our tradition conducted referendum in the states and the resolution is that the ongoing strike action be suspended for two weeks to create room for the continuation of the negotiation. The Memorandum of Understanding that we had with the ministry of education is that we will suspend the strike for two weeks to enable us start negotiation and resolve all the grey areas that will eventually culminate in the signing of the agreement within the set two weeks."
The SSANU President maintained that the unions went into the meeting with an open mind and that the ball is now in the court of the federal government to be honourable and respect the agreement to prevent the unions from going back on strike.
"We went into the agreement with an open mind and with the understanding that the federal government will respect the agreement reached during the negotiation. We also hope that the processes will be conducted and finished within two weeks that we have given," he said.
On her part, the National President of NASU, Mrs. Ladi Illiya expressed hope that the contentious issues that led to the unions' abandoning their duty post will not arise again but warned that the unions will not hesitate to employ the strike option should the federal government foot-drag in the implementation of the reached agreement.
Her words: "We believe that the issues that led to the unfortunate incident strike action will not be repeated. We also hope that the federal government will respect the agreement this (time) around and also implement it because we will not hesitate to embark on another round of strike should government renege on the implementation of the agreement."
Meanwhile the Gamaliel Onosode led committee of the federal government yesterday met with Academic Staff Union of the University (ASUU) in Abuja in to resume negotiations, which broke down almost two months ago. Details of the outcome were sketchy as at press time but a source said both parties had a frank discussion and fruitful deliberations
The unions are the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
Briefing journalists yesterday in Abuja, the President of SSANU, Mr. Promise Adewusi, said the decision to suspend the strike was informed by the need to give room for negotiation to take place.
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
He added that the unions in their usual tradition conducted referendum among their members in the various branches across the country, which showed majority of their members agreeing to the suspension of the four-month-old industrial action.
He said: "The three unions in line with our tradition conducted referendum in the states and the resolution is that the ongoing strike action be suspended for two weeks to create room for the continuation of the negotiation. The Memorandum of Understanding that we had with the ministry of education is that we will suspend the strike for two weeks to enable us start negotiation and resolve all the grey areas that will eventually culminate in the signing of the agreement within the set two weeks."
The SSANU President maintained that the unions went into the meeting with an open mind and that the ball is now in the court of the federal government to be honourable and respect the agreement to prevent the unions from going back on strike.
"We went into the agreement with an open mind and with the understanding that the federal government will respect the agreement reached during the negotiation. We also hope that the processes will be conducted and finished within two weeks that we have given," he said.
On her part, the National President of NASU, Mrs. Ladi Illiya expressed hope that the contentious issues that led to the unions' abandoning their duty post will not arise again but warned that the unions will not hesitate to employ the strike option should the federal government foot-drag in the implementation of the reached agreement.
Her words: "We believe that the issues that led to the unfortunate incident strike action will not be repeated. We also hope that the federal government will respect the agreement this (time) around and also implement it because we will not hesitate to embark on another round of strike should government renege on the implementation of the agreement."
Meanwhile the Gamaliel Onosode led committee of the federal government yesterday met with Academic Staff Union of the University (ASUU) in Abuja in to resume negotiations, which broke down almost two months ago. Details of the outcome were sketchy as at press time but a source said both parties had a frank discussion and fruitful deliberations
Friday, October 16, 2009
FG/ASUU in crucial talks - ASUU may call off strike today
ONE week after the suspension of the about four-month-old industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the renegotiation between the ASUU and the Federal Government to resolve and fine-tune the grey areas of the draft agreement commenced on Thursday, in Abuja.
The Federal Government’s renegotiation team, with the fresh mandate by the Federal Government to conclude negotiation with the ASUU, was led by Deacon Gamaliel Onosode. The team included the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Professor Oladipo Afolabi; National Universities Commission (NUC) Executive Secretary, Professor Julius Okojie and his Education Trust Fund (ETF) counterpart, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, among others.
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
ASUU president, Ukachukwu Awuzie, led the team that included the former ASUU president, Alhaji Sule-Kano, in a meeting that began at about 3.30 pm.
ASUU leadership had, last Friday, suspended the nationwide strike for two weeks, following the intervention of the governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, when the talks between the Federal Government and the ASUU collapsed.
The Federal Government had refused to sign a central agreement with the ASUU and directed them to go back to their various universities’ governing councils to conclude negotiation, but ASUU insisted that it would not honour such a directive.
However, with the intervention of Oshiomhole, the Federal Government appeared set to sign the agreement centrally with the ASUU as against its earlier position.
It was gathered within the week that President Umaru Yar’Adua had already given the mandate to the Minister of Education, Dr. Sam Egwu, to, in conjunction with the Federal Government’s negotiation team, sign whatever agreement finally arrived at with the ASUU.
The chairman of ASUU, University of Abuja Chapter, Dr. Mallam Abu, had revealed that major issues at stake could be resolved at a sitting and the agreement signed.
The Federal Government’s renegotiation team, with the fresh mandate by the Federal Government to conclude negotiation with the ASUU, was led by Deacon Gamaliel Onosode. The team included the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Professor Oladipo Afolabi; National Universities Commission (NUC) Executive Secretary, Professor Julius Okojie and his Education Trust Fund (ETF) counterpart, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, among others.
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
ASUU president, Ukachukwu Awuzie, led the team that included the former ASUU president, Alhaji Sule-Kano, in a meeting that began at about 3.30 pm.
ASUU leadership had, last Friday, suspended the nationwide strike for two weeks, following the intervention of the governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, when the talks between the Federal Government and the ASUU collapsed.
The Federal Government had refused to sign a central agreement with the ASUU and directed them to go back to their various universities’ governing councils to conclude negotiation, but ASUU insisted that it would not honour such a directive.
However, with the intervention of Oshiomhole, the Federal Government appeared set to sign the agreement centrally with the ASUU as against its earlier position.
It was gathered within the week that President Umaru Yar’Adua had already given the mandate to the Minister of Education, Dr. Sam Egwu, to, in conjunction with the Federal Government’s negotiation team, sign whatever agreement finally arrived at with the ASUU.
The chairman of ASUU, University of Abuja Chapter, Dr. Mallam Abu, had revealed that major issues at stake could be resolved at a sitting and the agreement signed.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
FG, ASUU dispute over in 2 weeks - Oshiomhole
Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has assured that all outstanding issues in the industrial dispute between the Federal Government and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) would be resolved in the next two weeks to prevent ASUU from continuing its strike.
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
Speaking when the new executive and members of the Edo State Correspondents Chapel of the State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), paid him a courtesy visit, the governor, who had mediated the two weeks suspension of ASUU strike, remarked that “everyday lost in academics is a day lost for ever.” He expressed confidence that the nation’s educational system would soon be strengthened.
He expressed concerns with some media reportage of the Akoko-Edo Constituency 1 rerun election in August, pointing out that contrary to such reports, the election was incident -free compared to what happened in re-run elections elsewhere in the country.
The governor expressed gratitude for the tremendous support he had enjoyed from the media, especially from members of the correspondents chapel since he assumed office but regretted that though journalists fought for society, no one fights for their welfare.
He congratulated members of the correspondents chapel for organizing a free and fair election and promised that his administration would cooperate and collaborate with the leadership and members of the chapel.
Earlier, Chairman of the Correspondents Chapel, Mr. Adewunmi Faniran, had told Governor Oshiomhole that the crisis in the Chapel had been resolved and commended him for his breakthrough in the Federal Government / ASUU face – off.
He also commended the governor for the effort he was making to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of Edo State.
A major highlight of the visit was the donation of a 15-seater bus by the Edo State Government to members of the correspondents chapel to ease their movement.
Church grants scholarship to six indigent members
Onyeogu who announced the scholarship award during this year’s annual women’s conference of the church explained that the award is aimed at assisting the widows who have no funds to sponsor their children or wards in schools.
N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.
He noted that out of the six beneficiaries, five would be trained at the secondary school level, including their school fees paid and feeding and accommodation provided while the remaining beneficiary would study any course of his choice in any university in the country.
He directed the CHCI authorities to select two of the beneficiaries from Awka, one from Lagos, one from Amawbia, one from Nteje while the one for the university scholarship could come from any part of the country, provided all of them are ardent members of the church.
Responding, the General Superintendent of CHCI, His Grace, Archbishop Daniel Okoh commended Onyeogu for his action which he described as philanthropic.
He also urged other members of the church to emulate the exemplary gesture of the school proprietor.
Also the archbishop advised Christians to properly understand the meaning of every word they speak to God while saying their prayers so as to enable God answer them.
Okoh who is the vice president, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and national/international president of Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) said that as a spirit, God reads the thoughts of men while they are praying, adding that it is only out of emotions and intellect that He can easily apply such prayers in every human condition.
He, therefore, admonished Christians to obey the supreme powers of the Holy Spirit in their lives, stressing that they should not abuse its essence whenever they are provoked.
In his lecture entitled: “Holy Spirit, our guide forever”, which he delivered at a women conference of the Church held at the CHCI camp ground, Nteje in Oyi council area of Anambra State, Archbishop Okoh told Christians to weigh their utterances while praying to God.
He maintained that during prayer sessions, immense power is usually transmitted to God while holding supplication, warning that Christians should not be abusive with the use of “holy-ghost fire” as it amounts to abuse of God Himself and His holy name.
Also in her own paper entitled: “The role of the Holy Spirit in a crisis situation, the Burundi experience,” a Burundian national and Economic Adviser in the office of the Ministry of Good Governance attached to the Burundian Presidency, Mrs. Marie Nzishura, went down memory lane on the protracted civil war ravaging the poverty-stricken country.
She recounted the war situation which brought about rape, hunger and instability in Burundi and how the Holy Spirit used such terrible conditions in the country to accomplish His mission for the people.
Nzishura noted that as a poor country where hatred and suspicion reined supreme from 1972 till 1993 when President Melchoir Ndadeya was assassinated by Tutsi soldiers in the Hutu dominated country, peace eluded the nation, but with the power of the Holy Spirit, reconciliation and peace were restored.
The Burundian national observed that the women of Burundi have learnt to speak for themselves against oppression and violence even as she reiterated the need to allow the Holy Spirit reign in the lives of Christians.
In her address, the Head of Women and Children department of CHCI and wife of the General Superintendent, General Deaconess Ngozi I. Okoh explained that it was in recognition of the vital role played by women in the society that necessitated the conference.
She explained that the occasion was targeted to serve as a forum for coming together of women of various branches of the church to support the needy among them and to empower those who genuinely need assistance.
The deaconess disclosed that not less than 70 privileged widows received relief materials, including bags of rice, wrappers and some amount of money as gesture from the church.
Mrs. Okoh urged the women to use the forum to renew their faith in God in consonance with the agreement reached by the founder, the late Prophetess Agnes Okoh (Odozi-Obodo) with God.
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