ASUU Strike: Call Off The Strike, We Have Resolved All Issues - FG

Minister of Education Adamu Adamu

The Federal Government has called on the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) to call off the strike embarked on since November 4.

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu said the federal government has released N16.8 billion to settle outstanding salary arrears of staff in the country’s tertiary institutions.

Malam Adamu Adamu disclosed this during the“Sixth Edition of the Ministerial Press Briefing’’ in Abuja, said that disbursement is ongoing through the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

According to him, the government had resolved all issues and await the academic unions to also call off their strike in the coming days, especially ASUU and ASUP.

Meanwhile, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has been on strike since December 12, while the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) started Nov.4

He stressed that the Federal Government has reached agreement in the following areas: Review of Polytechnic Act; government awaits the transmittal of the amended document by the National Assembly to Mr President for his assent.

He said, were a revitalisation of polytechnics and colleges of education, renegotiation of the 2010 agreements, saying that government is committed to the revitalisation of facilities in its public tertiary institutions.

The minister also said that the government had directed the Minister of Finance to source for additional funding to the tune of N30 billion for the purpose, with particular reference to polytechnics and colleges of education.

“Also for state-owned polytechnics; the National Board for Technical Education has been directed to strengthen its regulatory mechanism including developing a new template for accreditation to address observed weaknesses.

“And to ensure that proprietors of polytechnics including states and private owners meet their obligations to their staff.

“Again as a demonstration of Government’s commitment to continue dialogue with the staff unions, the ministry will provide alternative funding for the stalled renegotiations in the polytechnics sub-sector.

“The National Board for Technical Education and the National Commission for Colleges of Education have also been directed to ensure compliance with the approved schedules of meetings with their respective Unions,’’ he said.

Similarly, Adamu noted that the government team had reached an agreement with ASUU while hoping that academic activities will also resume in universities’ campuses across the country without further delay.

He, however, commended the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) for calling off its strike to allow the students in colleges of education get back to academic activities.

AAUA Graduate, Kemi Adeniran Dies While Returning From INEC Training

Kemi Adeniran, a Microbiology graduate of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), is dead.

The 2018 Batch 'C' Stream 2 corps member serving in Ibadan, Oyo State, died on Friday, in a motorcycle accident while heading home after the INEC training for 2019 general elections.

EFCC arrest 19 “Yahoo boys” in Ibadan, recovers female underwear, cars

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday morning nabbed 19 suspected internet fraudsters in Ologuneru and Akobo areas of Ibadan, Oyo State.
Tony Orilade, the commission’s acting Head, Media and Publicity made this known in Ibadan, NAN reports.
According to him, 15 of the suspects were arrested at Ologuneru area while the remaining four were nabbed at Akobo area.
”All the suspects who are between the ages of 21 and 35 were arrested at their hideout in the early hours of Friday.
”The commission got wind of their activities following series of intelligence report.
“Which alleged that they engage in various fraudulent activities ranging from obtaining money by false pretences through sending of scam emails to unsuspecting victims.

”Some are engaged in romance scam on several dating sites.
”Among the things recovered from the suspects included four exotic cars, five laptops, 20 telephones, including 10 iPhones and one small bag containing items suspected to be fetish objects.
”Others are several documents, including international passports and ATM cards.
”SIM cards, one exotic car, laptops, telephones, female under-wears and four bags of fetish objects were recovered from four of the suspects arrested for cyber crimes at Akobo area.
”The suspects are: Babatunde Afeez, Akorede Olalekan, Adeleye Damilola and Moshod Richard.
“Others are Bamidele Samson, Bamidele Philip, Tunji Sowale, Bololaji Olalekan and Abdulrauf Abiodun, Olaleye Pelumi and Anuokuwapo Olanrewaju.
”The remaining ones are: Paul Damilola, Olateye Tobi, Arewa Ibrahim, Oyesanmi Oluwaseun, Olaleye Israel, Adediran Kemisola, Omobolade Alarape and Olowolusi Oluwatomisin,” he said
He said that all the suspects would soon be arraigned in court soon.

ASUU strike: Again lecturers, FG’s meeting with union deadlocked

The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, have again failed to reach a compromise to end the ongoing strike by the university lecturers.

According to News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, who addressed newsmen after the closed door meeting with the union on Friday in Abuja said the meeting was protracted.

He said, “The meeting was protracted, but the good news is that we have gotten to the end of the tunnel.

“We met them half way and we have finished the gray areas and on the issue of N50 billion, we have offered what we have.

“We do not have N50 billion and we cannot do N50 billion, but we have offered them something reasonable.

“So they have to take it back, and go and present to their members.”

Ngige, however, expressed hope that students would return to school soon, saying “We will know when they will go back by Thursday”.

Earlier, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, ASUU President said the meeting had been adjourned to Feb. 7.

“So, far on the level of progress made so far, I cannot tell you that now until I tell my members.

“It is the feedback of the last meeting we came to present to government today.

“But right now, we have a new set of information that we have to go and present to our members until we tell our members, we cannot tell you,” he said.

He added that “We are making progress and the progress we are making is for everybody’s interest and stakeholders will benefit at the end of the day.

“We will be meeting on Thursday, after which, we will address the press.

“We have trashed all areas, so the progress we have made must first be related to our members.

“So until we tell them, and they tell us what to do that, that is only when we can relate to the press. The meeting adjourned till Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the strike commenced on Nov. 5, 2018.

The lecturers are demanding for the implementation of some agreements with the Federal Government since November 2009.

NAN also reports that one of their major demands is the implementation of university revitalisation fund