Nation
ASUU Strike: FG Broke, Can’t Meet Demand -Okonjo-Iweala
The Federal Government has yesterday declared that it does not have the resources to meet the N92 billion financial demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The Federal Government said in very plain language that: it is broke.
The Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in a speech at the opening of a two-day meeting of Commissioners of Finance and Accountant-Generals of State Ministries of Finance, in Minna Niger State, said the N92 billion being demanded by the university lecturers is not within the reach of Government.
According to her: “At present, ASUU wants the Federal Government to pay N92 billion in extra allowances when the resources are not there and when we are working to integrate past increases in pensions.
“We need to make choices in this country as we are getting to the stage where recurrent expenditures take the bulk of our resources and people get paid but can do no work.
“Since I assumed office, the share of recurrent expenditure in our total budgets had increased astronomically.
“In fact, recurrent expenditures accounted for about 77.2 per cent of the Federal Budget and we are now working to re-balance this ratio.
“The country is still suffering from the effect of the 2010 increase in salary.
“Do we want to get to a stage in this country that all the money we earn is used to pay salaries and allowances?”
Okonjo-Iweala said at the meeting with the theme: “Restructuring Nigeria’s Finances”, that the N92 billion being demanded by the university lecturers is just not available.
“If the demands of the university lecturers are met and we continue to pay them salaries and allowances, we will not be able to provide infrastructure in the universities,” she said.
The minister also lamented that Nigeria’s over-dependence on oil has resulted in the deterioration of the nation’s non oil tax, noting that in 1970, non oil taxes accounted for 74 per cent of Nigeria Government’s revenues but by 2012 it had declined to only 30 per cent.
She said: “Many states and local governments are also dependent on monthly revenue allocation from the central government.
“On average, only 11 per cent of sub-national revenue was obtained from internally generated sources.”
Okonjo-Iweala disclosed that the volume of external and internal debts of the country has been on the increase, adding: “In fact, in August 2006 when I left office, we had a total of $17.3 billion comprised of $3.5 billion in foreign debt and $13.8 billion in domestic debt.
“By 2011 when I returned to office, the total debt now stood at $447.9 billion and the domestic debt had now grown to about $42.3 billion.”
The Minister however said the Federal Government has taken measures to revamp the economy, adding that these measures have started yielding fruitful dividends in the areas of direct capital investment in the country and in the establishment of industries and agro based firms.
Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State in his address read by his Deputy, Hon. Ahmed Ibeto, asked the Federal Government to plug all the areas of wastages in the oil sector of the economy and also check pipeline vandalization across the country.
Aliyu suggested that Nigeria should pay more attention to the non oil sector of the economy, especially agriculture, now that many countries have discovered and are now refining oil.
The Senate yesterday approved the bills for the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences and College of Education, Bende at its plenary session.
The two bills sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon . Benjamin Kalu came to the Senate for concurrence after the approvals from the House of Representatives.
The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Sen. Lola Ashiru in the absence of the Majority Leader presented the recommendations of the Lower Chamber for consideration and Concurrence .
The Bill for an Act to establish Federal College of Education, Bende in Abia State seeks to provide full-time courses, training in technology, applied sciences, commerce, social sciences, arts and humanities among others.
Kalu had in his lead debate stated that Bende has remained undivided since its creation in 1976, even though with the size of four local government areas as found in comparative federal constituencies.
“Despite its strategic location in Abia and sharing a border with Akwa Ibom, with a growing population and landmass, there is no tertiary institution in the Federal Constituency operated either by Federal or State Government. Bende deserves to have the presence of a tertiary institution to serve the education need of the teeming youthful population, especially now that the need for well-trained educationists has risen. This is accompanied by the need to fill the gaps created by both the consequences of brain drain and the lack of qualified educationists to provide quality training at all levels of education,” he said.
For the bill seeking the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Bende, Abia State, he said when it becomes law, the university will be charged with the responsibility to, among other things, offer full-time training leading to the award of degrees in medical and health sciences.
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi
South East Caucus of the Senate has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immorttalise late Professor Humphrey Nwosu considering his commitment to achieving a practical democracy for Nigerian.
The Senators visibly angered by the Senate’s rejection of the need to immortalise the late National Electoral umpire who stood for democracy through the turbulent 1993 elections stormed out of the Senate Chambers and spoke to the press .
The Chairman of the South East Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe ( Abia South), as he did in plenary on Wednesday, presented a motion for immortalisation of Humphrey Nwosu by naming the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , after him , for laying the foundation in 1993 and conducting the freest and fairest Presidential election in the country .
The late Professor Nwosu was the National Chairman of the National Electoral Commission ( NEC) , now known as Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , who through option A4, conducted the June 12, 19993 presidential election , adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the country.
Abaribe in the motion co – sponsored by 15 other Senators , said late Humphrey Nwosu deserved to be immortalised like other heroes of the June 12 , 1993 presidential election .
He also urged the Federal Government to honour the late former electoral umpire with post humous national honours .
But Abaribe’s request , seconded by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) and supported by Senators from the South East including forner Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi ( Kebbi North) , was roundly rejected by other Senators who said the deceased deserved no immortalization .
Specifically , Senator Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo North) , in his contribution to the debate said the motion to him, was nothing but an attempt to manipulate and rewrite history.
“ Professor Humphrey Nwosu as NEC Chairman in 1993, failed to deliver on the June 12 , 1993 Presidential Election for lack of Courage
“ He who is not ready to die for something , will die for nothing
“ If he was afraid of the gun from announcing the election results and winner in 1993 , he cannot be rewarded now , more so, when many Nigerians died for what he inadvertently created “, he said .
Nneka Amaechi -Nnadi
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, says the Nigerian Military is committed to facilitating sustainable food security in the country through the establishment of farms.
Musa said this in Abuja yesterday during the unveiling of the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products Logo.
He noted that the agricultural sector played crucial role in guaranteeing food security which was requisite for sustainable national security.
He said that the adverse impact of climate change, environmental degradation and conflict across some parts of the country had continuously threatened food security with dire consequences on national security.
According to him, to address this, the Defence Headquarters in May 2023, conceptualised the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products initiative.
“This is with the aim of keying into the federal government’s efforts at addressing food security challenges in the country.
“The initiative which aligns with the ‘People Centric’ policy thrust of my leadership concept is aimed at creating job opportunities and enhancing rural infrastructural development while significantly contributing to food security in the Country.
“Considering the extensive consultation, planning and preparation made by the committee thus far, I am optimistic that the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products initiative will have a positive transformative impact on host communities while enhancing national security.
“With similar initiatives replicated across the country, I envision a future characterised by modernised farming techniques in which the agricultural sector significantly contributes to economic growth and national development.”
The CDS enjoined all members of the Armed Forces and the general public to embrace the initiative and maximise its associated gains.
He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, for his sterling leadership and relentless pursuit of national peace, security and economic prosperity.
He also appreciated the efforts of members of the committee who worked assiduously to actualise the initiative.
Earlier, the Chairman, Defence Farms Committee,