I'm sure by now you all know who Daniel Oikhena is. (Refresh your memory HERE). Daniel and the the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, George Uriesi (pictured right)
paid a courtesy visit to Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole yesterday Wednesday Sept. 11th.
Governor Oshiomhole said the government will support Daniel by sending him to one of the top schools in the state. He said:
“Without meaning to encourage anyone else, we decided to support him
by sending him to one of the top secondary schools in Edo State that is
owned by the Government. The reason for opting for a boarding school is
that we think that there is need to closely watch him which his parents
could not do. He is an intelligent young man with uncommon challenges,
but one that has a vision. We had him examined by people who should know
and the result confirmed that he is normal"
UMUAHIA
– The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has blamed chairman
of universities’ NEEDS Assessment Committee and governor of Benue State,
Mr. Gabriel Suswam, for the lingering strike by the union.
According to the union, the governor and his committee did not advise the Federal Government properly.
ASUU
also accused Suswam of trying to blackmail the union but warned that no
amount of blackmail or intimidation would stop it from pursuing the
implementation of the 2009 FG/ASUU agreement, which was the only way to
move the nation’s education forward.
Briefing newsmen at the
Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, the
Calabar Zone of the union, led by Dr. Charles Ononuju, accused the NEEDS
Committee of rushing to release money to pro-chancellors and vice
chancellors, instead of addressing abnormalities in the NEEDS Report
Implementation Committee.
Flanked by ASUU chairmen at the
university of Calabar, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture,
University of Uyo and Cross River State University of Technology,
Calabar, Ononuju said by throwing arbitrary awards at the universities,
the government had repudiated the 2009 agreement and 2012 MoU.
He
said: “Since the commencement of the strike, our union has met with
government team for more than 11 times. After the last meeting, the
union raised some observations/abnormalities on the Governor Gabriel
Suswan-led NEEDS Report Implementation Committee and communicated same
to the chairman of the committee, Governor Suswan, expecting a response.
“Rather
than responding to the observations raised by the union that would
usher in quick and peaceful resolution of the impasse, the government
summoned a meeting with pro-chancellors and vice chancellors and offered
to them N130 billion with a matching order for the lecturers to return
to work, thereby pulling out of the dialogue.
“Government, by
throwing arbitrary awards at the universities, has in effect repudiated
the 2009 Agreement and the MoU of 2012 based on that agreement. We
reject the arbitrary imposition of money from the government. What makes
a person, an organisation, including government honourable is honouring
an agreement freely made.
“The government should honour the
agreement it freely entered into with the union since 2009. ASUU is not
making any fresh demands. This is our position and where we stand and
shall continue to stand.”
Ononuju also attacked Governor Suswam
for accusing the union of playing politics with its demands, describing
the governor’s position as “false, dishonest, calculated to misinform
the public and cause disaffection towards the union.”
“Rather than seek cheap popularity, he should tow the part of honour by asking his principal to honour the agreement.
“We
hereby call on our members and the Nigerian people to reject this cheap
blackmail and continue to stand on the path of truth and social
justice.”
“No amount of blackmail will make the union jettison our
resolve to get the government to implement the 2009 ASUU/FG Agreement
and MoU of January 24, 2012.
“We wish to emphasise strongly here
that our struggle has no political undertone as is being falsely and
mischievously propagated. Those saying otherwise are economical with the
truth.”
….As SSANU, NASU, others give FG ultimatum over August salary
By KELECHI AZUBUIKE
ABUJA—Three
other unions in the nation’s university system, besides the Academic
Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, yesterday, gave the Federal
Government till tomorrow to pay the August salary of members or they
will begin an indefinite strike.
The unions are Senior Staff
Association of Nigeria University, SSANU, National Association of
Technologists, NAAT, and Non Academic Staff Union, NASU.
President
of SSANU, Samson Chijioke Ugwoke, in a statement said: “I, Samson
Chijioke Ugwoke call on Federal Government of Nigeria to release the
August 2013 salaries of federal university workers without further
delay. Today is September 11, 2013, and August 2013, allocations to
Federal universities are yet to be released and no one has given reasons
for the delay.
“This situation is unhealthy and it is bringing
untold hardship to the workers, their families and dependents. SSANU and
other sister unions in Joint Action Committee, JAC, will be forced to
review her stand with the Federal Government if by Friday, August 13,
2013, the salaries of our members are not paid”.
