The Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU says it will appeal the order by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) asking its members to call off the seven-month-long strike. The University of Abuja chapter chairman of ASUU Dr Kasim Umar stated this while reacting to the order by court in Abuja. Dr Umar said the national executive Council of ASUU will meet to conclude modalities on the appeal process.
Meanwhile the pro chacellor of the University of Abuja Prof. Ahmed Modibbo Mohammed has advised the federal government to apply caution in handling the crisis with the union. According to Modibbo the said a court order cannot resolve the crisis between ASUU and the government. Reacting to the court judgment, Professor Modibbo while appealing to both the government and ASUU to embrace dialogue in order to find a lasting solution to the strike, insisted that resorting to force was not a solution.
He stressed that dialogue remain the best means to resolve the crisis rather than just giving a fiat order.
The Federal Government has declared that nobody won or lost in the ruling of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), ordering members of the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to return to work.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, made the declaration while receiving members of the Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) in his office.
In a statement signed by the Head of Press and Public Relations of the ministry, and made available to journalists, Ngige assured that the court ruling does not preclude further negotiation between the Federal Government and ASUU.
He said: “The ruling is in the best interest of the nation. It is a win-win situation for all of us- government, students, lecturers- all Nigerians indeed. I have just gotten the order of court asking ASUU to go back to work.It is a sound judgment. It is no victor, no vanquished. You doctors in academics are for now members of ASUU, but, you are here, even though you have dissociated yourself and you are working. We want to thank you for working and teaching your students.
“The court ruling does not preclude us from going on with further negotiation and consultations. The pro-chancellors met Mr. President and made some demands, such as topping up government offer and seeing whether there could be some bailout. Mr. President said in considering it, he will consult stakeholders. So, he is going to consult everybody.”
Ngige welcomed the intervention of the House of Representatives in the ASUU imbroglio, saying he was happy that the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila said they were going to meet the President.
He said the intervention was timely considering that the President must have also consulted some stakeholders, adding that whatever money to be put in would go into the 2023 appropriation where the National Assembly comes in.
“If they have shown interest now, it is good and wonderful. When they bring that proposal, the Executive will not have any problem. ASUU should also know that this is a step in the right direction. And all these things have been promised them by the Minister of Education at their last meeting with him. For me, they should do the needful and get back to classroom.”
He said the government would order the vice chancellors to reopen the universities in compliance with the order of court.
The First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari has called for a systemic approach and effective policies to strengthen social protection systems, education and decent work opportunities for parents and caregivers to address the conditions that drive child labor. Mrs Buhari made the call in Abuja at the National Children Conference in commemoration of the 2022 world Day Against Child Labour. The First Lady who was represented by Kwara First Lady, Mrs Olufolake Abdulrasaq admitted that child labor remains a major threat to child development in Nigeria, in spite of legislative measures taken by the government at various levels to curb the menace. She called for actions at various levels of government, so that Nigerian children will grow up to their full potentials.
She said “Child labour remains a major threat to child development in Nigeria, in spite of legislative measures taken by the government at various levels to curb it. While today’s event stands primarily to celebrate these children, it also provides the avenue to call for increased investment in social protection systems and schemes to establish solid social protection floors and protect children from child labour”.
She said “In its efforts to reduce incidence of child labour, the government is implementing vigorously the National Children School Feeding Programme which is the major plank of the battle to fight Child Labour, increasing children school enrolment and preventing children dropping out of schools. Worthy of note too is the adoption of the child rights law and other protective laws by governments at the state level as also playing a critical role in militating against child labour”.
“My Future Assured as you know has done very much in this regard especially through advocacy. I call on us all to do more because we are getting more victims and also the circumstances leading to child labour still subsist”.
“All these initiatives of the federal government I believe sets us on the path to eradicating the menace of child labour in our communities and on the path to achieving sustainable development goal”. She added
In his key note address, the Minister of Labour And Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, expressed concern over the high rate of Child labor in the country. He warned against the negative impacts the menace poses in the nation’s future. He recalled that in 2015, world leaders adopted the SDGs target of 8.7, which was a call to end child labor of all forms by 2025.
“In September 2015, when world leaders gathered to adopt the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a call in the form of Target 8.7 which seeks to take immediate and effective measures to eradicate Forced Labour, end Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of Child Labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end Child Labour in all its form” was made by the world leaders. This was amidst growing concerns of a global social crisis with alarming proportion”.
The Minister said “Global estimates have shown that child labour is on the rise; with an increase from 152 million to 160 million between 2016 and 2020. Sub-Saharan Africa has seen 19.6 per cent of all African children in Child Labour, and a possible 9 per cent in hazardous work; this is in contrast to continued progress being made elsewhere in the world. In Nigeria, Child Labour has become a scourge. Several children find themselves on the streets, forced to make a living, with others employed in industrial complexes, and hazardous environments. Statistics revealed there are about 15 million child workers as at 2020, according to the ILO, with the UN warning that the absence of mitigating strategies could see an increase of children engaged in Child Labour by the end of 2022. This of course, will most certainly have massive implications in the near future.
He said, “we take pride in stating that considerable efforts have been made in dealing with this menace. Most notably the adoption and ratification of ILO Conventions 138 and 182 on Minimum Age and Worst forms of Child Labour respectively; the passage of the Child Rights Act into law to domesticate the Convention on the Rights of the Child, with adoption by about 30 state governments; the implementation and enforcement of National Action Plan on Child Labour, Prohibition and Elimination of Forced Labour, Modern Slavery, and Human Trafficking in workplaces spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment. Also the National Steering Committee, as well as State Steering Committees, and Desk Officers on Child Labour were established at all levels of government and institutional levels to translate the provisions of the 5-year National Action Plan. In spite of all these, we require more collaboration and partnerships to confront the task ahead of us”.
He added, “this year’s theme tagged ‘Universal Social Protection to End Child Labour’ is essentially a call for more investments in social protection systems in order to create a strong protection base that will keep children away from Child Labour. As we reflect on the progress being made so far, let us also not lose sight of the importance of providing safety nets for children in vulnerable conditions”.
The Federal Government has promised to adjust the salaries of Nigerian workers, to conform with the present economic realities in the country. The Minister of Labour And Employment, Senator Chris Ngige made the promise in Abuja, at the Public Presentation of the NLC at forty Publication, the “Contemporary History of Working Class Struggles”. Ngige said, the current inflation is a world wide crisis and not only a Nigerian dilemma. He said that, although they inserted a provision in the 2019 minimum wage Act to review wages either next year or 2024, the federal government has started the review with the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
Ngige said, “The inflation is worldwide, we shall adjust the minimum wage in conformity with what is happening and much more important, the 2019 Minimum Wage Act has a new clause for a review. “That adjustment has started with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), because the stage they are with their primary employers, the Ministry of Education, is a Collective Bargaining Agreement, CBA, negotiations.
On the continuous closure of Nigerian universities by ASUU members, he said that the Federal Government did not take ASUU to court.
He said, it would have been failure in his part if the issue was not officially reported to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) after seven months of protracted discussions and negotiations with the union, which failed.
He recalled that ASUU was at the stage of Collective Bargaining (CBA) negotiation with their employers, the Federal Ministry of Education when they embarked on strike.
“There are laws guiding strike. There are ILO principles on right to strike. Nobody can take it away.
”But, there are things that follow it when you embark on strike as a worker and they are enshrined in the laws of our land.
“It is written in Trade Dispute Act. The ILO principles of strike talks about the right of a worker to withdraw services. There is also right to picket. These are things that are done”.
The Federal Government has declared that nobody won or lost in the ruling of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), ordering members of the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to return to work.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, made the declaration while receiving members of the Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) in his office.
In a statement signed by the Head of Press and Public Relations of the ministry, and made available to journalists, Ngige assured that the court ruling does not preclude further negotiation between the Federal Government and ASUU.
He said: “The ruling is in the best interest of the nation. It is a win-win situation for all of us- government, students, lecturers- all Nigerians indeed. I have just gotten the order of court asking ASUU to go back to work.It is a sound judgment. It is no victor, no vanquished. You doctors in academics are for now members of ASUU, but, you are here, even though you have dissociated yourself and you are working. We want to thank you for working and teaching your students.
“The court ruling does not preclude us from going on with further negotiation and consultations. The pro-chancellors met Mr. President and made some demands, such as topping up government offer and seeing whether there could be some bailout. Mr. President said in considering it, he will consult stakeholders. So, he is going to consult everybody.”
Ngige welcomed the intervention of the House of Representatives in the ASUU imbroglio, saying he was happy that the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila said they were going to meet the President.
He said the intervention was timely considering that the President must have also consulted some stakeholders, adding that whatever money to be put in would go into the 2023 appropriation where the National Assembly comes in.
“If they have shown interest now, it is good and wonderful. When they bring that proposal, the Executive will not have any problem. ASUU should also know that this is a step in the right direction. And all these things have been promised them by the Minister of Education at their last meeting with him. For me, they should do the needful and get back to classroom.”
He said the government would order the vice chancellors to reopen the universities in compliance with the order of court.
The Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Orji Uzo Kalu has charged Nigerians not to hold President Muhammadu Buhari or the national legislature accountable for the country’s high rate of unemployment, adding that, many graduates are not properly trained.
Kalu, a foremost entrepreneur and lawmaker, made this charge while declaring open the maiden ceremony of the Graduate Employability Skills Training organised by Terraskills Learning Systems, Abuja.
He hinted that, many lecturers in tertiary institutions don’t know what they are teaching, which resulted in the nation producing unproductive graduates.
His words: “We should not blame President Muhammadu Buhari nor the national assembly over the high rate of unemployment in the country which is causing insecurity. I’ve been a governor so I know what I am talking about.
“Most of our graduates are not properly trained for the jobs. That’s why there is insecurity. Everything is not on Buhari or the national assembly. It is because most people are not groomed properly for leadership.
“Going to the university is not enough because most of these lecturers don’t even know what they are teaching you. I became an entrepreneur before I went into politics and I am still the chief adviser of my companies that employ over 13,000 people so I know what I am talking about, ” Kalu said.
Kalu while advising the participants of the TerraSkills graduate skills training said most people in many companies are not well trained.
Saying, “Training is the key,” “No human being is perfect. Government is not perfect, the private sector cannot be perfect. What you should do is to take the good and throw away the bad.
“No knowledge is a waste. Even now, I want to leave the comfort of my office and go to the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) and study. I won’t mind being a student with you here at TerraSkills because studies are important,” Kalu stated, adding that most of his factories are in Lagos but now want to establish 150,000 tons of rice mill in his village.
Also, Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Sabi Abdullahi, who is also the founder of TerraSkills, said it took them three years of research to come up with the graduate skills training programme.
“This is not about making money, but about developing human capital. Many graduates don’t have the skills. I’ve told the staff that anyone that is not trainable, after two weeks, his money should be refunded because he or she doesn’t have a place here.
“The essence is to improve the productivity of companies in Nigeria. We also want to help reduce the number of graduates without jobs in the country. We will continue to equip the graduates with the necessary skills to fit in the job environment.
Meanwhile, the representative of the Director General (DG) of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Aminu Mohammed, said TarraSkills is replicating what they are doing at the ITF adding that they will ensure they continue to make Nigerian youths employable.
The distinguished Thomas Sankara Leadership Prize for Integrity and Transparency Award has been presented by the Youth Partnership for Africa’s Development (YOUPAD) to Mr. Olusade Adesola, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
This is in honor of his several years of services to the cause of young people in Nigeria, specifically, and the continent of Africa as a whole, as well as his extraordinary achievements in nation-building.
This was contained in a statement by Tony Odey Press Secretary to FCT Permanent Secretary on Friday in Abuja.
The Secretary of YOUPAD, Daniel kewul Donald while conferring the award on the Permanent Secretary in his Office in Garki, Area Eleven-Abuja on Wednesday, September 8th 2022, said this Leadership Award is premised on Mr.Adesola’s zero tolerance for corruption in public service , administrative astuteness and impeccable leadership traits.
According to him: “Our terms of reference in conferring this honour to your esteem person include; your hard work and dedication to national service, high administrative acumen and selfless leadership ideology. You are a team player and a passionate youth developer, which is evident in your all-inclusive leadership style, which has contributed immensely towards the development of your subordinates.
‘You are a team player who carries everyone along in your decision making, irrespective of tribe, religion or gender. You are a public servant with zero tolerance for corruption, nepotism or favouritism and your exemplary lifestyle which promotes the African moral values, which is worthy of emulation by the youth-including others too numerous to be mentioned in prints”.
The Youth Partnership for Africa’s Development is Pan-African Organization with headquarters in Kigali which has the broad mandate to build the youth in leadership and entrepreneurship, with the purpose of providing Africa with intellectually equipped youths to take the mantle of leadership in order to build the Africa of our collective dreams; which can only be achieved through an integrated ,prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic youth force in the international arena.
In his responds, the Permanent Secretary thanked the leadership of YOUPAD for singling him for this great honour and recognition. Adding that the award will in no doubt spur him up for greater exploits.
Adesola used the occasion to recall that when he was the Permanent Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports, he facilitated the review of Youth Policy, which has been recognized and adopted as a credible document.
He further revealed that he was equally instrumental to the coming onboard of the Nigeria National Youth Day, as well as playing an active role in the resolution of the internal crisis that engulfed the Nigeria Youth Council. Stressing that all these efforts were geared towards bringing the youths into the national and international leadership limelight.
He also called on the youths to brace up and harness their political, economic and entrepreneurial potentials in a bid to take their rightful positions in the development of Nigeria in particular and the Africa Continent in general.
Speaking on the FCT Administration’s achievement on youth development, the Permanent Secretary intimated the leadership of YOUPAD that the Administration has over the years been engaging the youth on the areas of skill acquisition and entrepreneurial empowerment, sports development and leadership development, amongst others.
Present in the award presentation were Mandate Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat,Malam Abubakar Ibrahim,Director General of FCT FERMA,Mr.Abbas Idris,Director,Human Resource Management,Malam Bashir Muhammed,Director,Office of the Permanent Secretary, Mr.Udo Samuel Atang,Acting Director,Reform Coordination and Service Improvement,Dr.Jumai Ahmadu,Special Assistant to the Permanent Secretary,Mr.Pius Adewinle and Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Youths,Comrade Isaac David.
The Minister of State for Transportation, Prince Ademola Adegoroye, has harped on the need for media practitioners to play the role of partners in progress with government on policies and programmes in order to make life better for Nigerians.
The Minister stated this in Abuja, while receiving some officers of the Abuja Transportation and Aviation Correspondents’ Association (ATACA), who paid him a courtesy visit. He said that, the fourth estate of the realm has a key and patriotic role to play in Nation building.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of State for Transportation, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan.
Adegoroye, who said the Minister of Transportation, Alhaji Mu’azu Jaji Sambo and himself have enjoyed a reasonable level of support from the media since their assumption of office, added that sustaining such level of support would be of immense benefit to the Ministry.
“It is important for those of us in government to maintain a productive relationship with those of you in the media because of the crucial duties your profession has bestowed on you to perform. We must continue to be partners in progress for the good of our Nation.
“I do not make undue criticism of the media because I understand what journalists go through to do their job. I know the challenges you face daily and the sacrifices you make on the job and you must appreciate the dignity of your profession.
“Of course, Alhaji Sambo and I have a short period to spend here before the end of the Muhammadu Buhari administration but we both want to leave an indelible mark here and we invite you to support us in making that happen”, Adegoroye said.
The Minister said he has taken note of and will put into consideration the demands of the journalists on improving the existing relationship with the Ministry, stressing that suggestions and inputs of the media practitioners will always be welcome and appreciated.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Abuja Transport and Aviation Correspondents Association (ATACA), Mr. Chris Agabi, said the visit was to congratulate and welcome Adegoroye to the Transport Ministry and to establish a working relationship with the Minister and his team.
Agabi, who said members of the association are willing to support the Minister and add value to his activities, added that such working relationship will go a long way in bridging the gap between the government and the governed.
On Monday, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) reaffirmed the administration’s intention to continuing the demolition exercise in the capital city.
According to the administration, this is being done to protect the Abuja Master Plan and maintain the metropolis with the fastest population growth safe from crime and insecurity.
Speaking on behalf of the administration, Comrade Ikharo Attah, Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection, and Enforcement to the Minister of FCT, hinted that it was inappropriate for Amnesty International to request that FCTA stop demolishing more illegal buildings, shanties, batchers, and criminal hideouts in the area.
Attah, while briefing newsmen on the latest development, he said: ” For what I know, I think, Amnesty International is addressing a particular case that involves the removal of illegal structures at Gaduwa village in the FCT and not the entire territory like the report suggested.
” Amnesty International has not asked that we should stop demolition but be a little careful. FCTA and Amnesty International knows that the removal of the illegal structures, clearing of criminal dens and areas that have become a security threat to the city is for the good of everybody and the defence of human rights which Amnesty International represents very strongly.
” If we must work going forward, I don’t think FCTA will stop the removal of illegal structures. Those who build them understand clearly that they are illegal, contravene the master plan and understand the consequences of what they have done. FCTA will sustain the removal of all illegal structures before this administration, during this administration and after this administration. The moment you stop the removal, you have grounded the city and the city will become ungovernable. There is no plan of stopping and Amnesty International has not made that call, they are only addressing a particular issue or somehow, also have to get personeel for the removal of to be extremely civil defending human rights which is what we are doing and we hope to improve on what we are doing. For now, we are committed and keen to even look at the removal of all shanties.
“Look at what happened in Kubwa, the building collapsed, which was said to have been caused by alterations of the building plan caused the death of two and left several injured. These are the things we want to avoid, when Illegalities persist and you don’t tackle it, there will be a problem. So , no going back on demolition of illegal structures and shanties in the nation’s capital.
” The Amnesty International report is a misconception of what happened in Gaduwa village, when we removed illegal structures, journalists were there, we did not touch the indigenous houses, we were guided by Madaki who was on ground. So stopping the removal of illegal structures as a city is not possible. The moment you stop Illegalities in a place, it becomes a safe heaven for criminals, it shows the city has on govern space and will not be good for anyone of us. We will keep removing illegal structures, criminal illegal structures, criminal hide out and shanties to keep Abuja safe”, he said.
It would be recalled that, Amnesty International and the Original Inhabitants of the nation’s capital, Abuja in Dubaidna, Durumi 3 Village called on the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA to as a matter of urgency put a halt to plans for further Demolition of the area.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved contract for the provision of security services to the Abuja Rail Mass Transit phase 1 (Lots 3 and 1A) at a total sum of N718, 193, 250 million.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello made this known after the FEC meeting held on Wednesday, 24th August 2022, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to the Minister, the contract was awarded to two security service providers namely Messrs Al-Ahli Security Guards Ltd, at the cost of N407, 214, 000 million, covering a distance of 27.245 kilometers and comprising of eight rail stations and Messrs Segad Security Protective Company Ltd, at the cost of N310, 979, 250 million, covering a distance of 18 kilometers, comprising of four stations.
The scope of the contract, which will last for a period of two years, includes protection of the rail tracks, Communication and Control Centre infrastructure as well as electrical and signaling equipment.
Acting Secretary, Transportation Secretariat, Usman Musa Yahaya while providing more details on the contract explained that the provision of emergency security services to the rail tracks became imperative following vandalization of portions of the track.
Yahaya recalled that following the commissioning the Abuja Rail Mass Transit operation in June, 2018, provision of rail services continued till the nation-wide lock down, which was occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He regretted that, vandals took advantage of the lock down and vandalized some of the rail facilities.
Yahaya said: “This approval is therefore a very good one for the FCT because it will go a long way in securing the rail track.
