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Update : ASUU, has constituted seven-man committee to defend union’s position and refusal to suspend ongoing strike
THE Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has constituted a seven-man committee to defend the union’s position and refusal to suspend the ongoing strike that is getting to seven months.
The committee is expected to respond to any criticisms in the media against the alleged adamant posture of the university teachers to suspend the strike.
Recall that academic activities in Nigeria’s public universities have been suspended since February 14, 2022, ASUU declared one month warning strike and has been rolling it over up till date.
Although the three other university-based unions also withdrew their services in March this year as a result of unresolved issues with the federal government, nearly similar with the ASUU’s demands, the unions have suspended their own strike after entering into agreements with the government.
The three unions that have decided to resume work are the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, and the National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT.
Some of the demands of the four unions that led to the strike include, renegotiation of the 2009 agreements, the alleged inconsistencies occasioned by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, the non-payment of earned allowances, payment of arrears of National Minimum wage and the release of white papers on visitation panel reports.
While ASUU has developed its preferred payment platform, the University Transparancy Accountability Solution, UTAS, the two non teaching staff unions of SSANU and NASU demanded for replacement of IPPIS with the University Peculiar Personnel Payroll System, U3PS.
While the three non teaching staff have accepted the offer made to them by the federal gocernment, ASUU has remained adamant claming that the government has not sufficiently addressed their demands.
The alleged hard stance of ASUU appears to be attracting negative reactions and sad commentary by a cross section of Nigerians, who felt that the strike has lingered for too long and should be suspended in the interest of the students.
Following the alleged negative reactions from the public and the bashing ASUU is receiving for not suspending the strike, the union has contituted a seven member committee to respond to any perceived attack on irs position.
The National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osadeke ha written to Prof. Ade Adejumo of the Lagos State University of Technology, LAUTEC, who is the Convener to counter any media report that may be against the interest of the union.
The letter dated 1st September with the title, “Constitution of Rapid Response Committee”, told members that their commitment towards the execution of the assignment would be appreciated.
The letter read: “The Academic Staff Union of Unuversities (ASUU) is at a very critical stage of its struggle towards the survival of public universities in Nigeria. It has been observed that a lot of media propaganda to misinform and malign the union is ongoing. The union appreciated your efforts in responding to this media war.
“The trustees and principal officers of the union decided to constitute a rapid response committee to immediately respond to various media publications, opinions, interviews etc, that may be against the interest of the union.”
The members according to the letter are Prof. Ade Adejumo (LAUTEC), Convener, Prof. Joseph A. Ushie (UNIUYO), member, Prof. Abdulgafar Amoka (ABU), member, Dr. Adelaja Odukoya (UNILAG), member, Dr. Taiwo Obateru (UNIJOS), member, Dr. Otu Otu Akanu (AE-FUNAI), member and and Prof. Victor Igbum (BSU), Secretary.
“Your commitment to this assignment as in the time past will be greatly appreciated,” it concluded.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved major changes in the leadership of the Armed Forces, appointing new Service Chiefs in a decisive move aimed at strengthening national security architecture.
According to a statement on Friday by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Chief Sunday Dare, the President named former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Olufemi Oluyede as the new Chief of Defence Staff, replacing General Christopher Musa.
Major-General W. Shaibu has been appointed Chief of Army Staff, Air Vice Marshal S.K. Aneke takes over as Chief of Air Staff, while Rear Admiral I. Abbas is the new Chief of Naval Staff.
The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major-General E.A.P. Undiendeye, retains his position.
All appointments, the statement said, take immediate effect.
President Tinubu, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, expressed deep appreciation to the outgoing Chief of Defence Staff, General Musa, and other retired Service Chiefs for their “patriotic service and dedicated leadership” during their tenure.
He charged the newly appointed military heads to justify the confidence reposed in them by demonstrating “enhanced professionalism, vigilance, and comradeship” in the discharge of their duties.
The shake-up in the military hierarchy comes as part of ongoing efforts by the Tinubu administration to reposition the security sector, improve coordination among the services, and sustain momentum in the fight against terrorism, banditry, and other security challenges across the country.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected a fresh application for bail filed by detained alleged terrorists negotiator, Tukur Mohammed Mamu.
Justice Mohammed Umar, in a ruling on Wednesday, noted the health complaint by Mamu and held that the detaining authority, the Department of State Services (DSS) should not release him but take him to an appropriate health facility where he would be adequately attended to.
Justice Umar noted that, by the history of the case so far, the prosecution has exhibited diligence in it handling of the case and exhibited diligence in prosecuting the case.
The judge said one of the reasons for granting bail is where the prosecution is not diligent, noting that since the prosecution in this case is diligent, the application for bail cannot be granted.
He subsequently ordered that the defence lawyer should choose the health facility comfortable to the defendant, to which he should be promptly taken.
He also asked the DSS to allow the defendant access to members of his family.
The ruling on Wednesday is the third time the court will reject his application for bail since his was arraigned on March 21, 2023 by the Federal Government on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism financing, among others.
Mamu was arrested on September 7, 2022 by Egyptian security officials at the Cairo International Airport, on reasonable suspicion of financing Boko Haram terrorism activities.
He was alleged to have convinced the terrorists to discuss ransom payments with individual families of the hostages of the train attack instead of the Chief of Defense Staff Committee set up by the Federal Government for his personal financial gain.
He was said to have been nominated by the terrorists that attacked the Abuja-Kaduna bound train sometime in March 2022 which took scores of persons hostage.
Mamu was alleged to have collected ransoms on behalf of the Boko Haram terrorists from families of hostages, confirmed the amount and facilitated the delivery of same to the terrorists.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities has announced the suspension of its ongoing two-week warning strike.
The National President of ASUU, Prof. Chris Piwuna, made this known in an ongoing press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to Piwuna, the decision stemmed from the meeting of the National Executive Council meeting which was held overnight and ended by 4:00 am on Wednesday.
Piwuna noted that the union decided to embark on the strike due to the failure of the government to meet its demands on time.
“We’ve had useful engagements with representatives of the government to consider the response to the draft renegotiation of the 2009 agreements. However, we are definitely not where we were prior to the commencement of the strike.
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