Niger Delta
AAU Crisis: ASUU Seeks NUC, Govt’s Intervention
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Edo State Government to urgently intervene in the lingering industrial crisis at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma.
The ASUU, Benin Zone, made the appeal in Benin at a news conference, which the union’s Coordinator, Prof. Fred Esumeh, said became expedient due to the marketing of lies, propaganda, mischief and blackmail against the branch of the union in the institution.
Esumeh, who was joined by the Chairmen of branches under the zone, said the union frowned at the poor funding and mismanagement of the university’s resources with the management’s inability to meet its obligation of payment of staff emoluments, hence a resort to irregular and selective payment of salaries.
According to him, the recent reduction in the monthly subvention of the university to an abysmally low N41.3 million from N270 million has led to the workers being owed 20 month salary arrears from 2020 to date, with 15 months of unremitted sundry deductions to staff unions.
This, he said, had put the total amount the university owed the union members and associations at N4 trillion.
“The State Government must of a necessity intervene at this point to clear the arrears of emoluments of workers of the university.
“For what it is, the problem is a catalyst for industrial crisis and, therefore, a threat to the smooth running of the academic calendar and the general administration of the university,” he said.
The ASUU leader also described the current management model in the institution as bizarre and far from the ideal administrative style of university administration in the country.
The institution, he noted, was being run on ad-hoc basis with an amendment to its law, which step up Special Intervention Team (SIP) as against Governing Council required by the NUC.
Esumeh said the management might be de-marketing the quality and value of certificate of degree programmes in the school by forcing the resumption of academic activities in the school and illegal conduct of examinations with the input of relevant course lecturers.
Other issues, the ASUU coordinator said needed the stakeholders’ immediate attention, included the suppression of staff right and freedom of association, controversial and inconclusive biometrics, among others.
To achieve industrial peace at the university, the union leader said the management and the Edo State Government would have to return to the path of truth, dialogue and sincere commitment to the resolution of the crisis.
“All outstanding emoluments – salaries, check-off dues and other deductions of staff in the university – should be paid without further delay to avoid the continuation of the local strike when the national strike is suspended.
“The Edo State Government should approve a bail-out fund for the university and satisfactorily increase the monthly subvention to the university.
“The ongoing academic fraud in the university should be investigated and dealt with decisively. We, therefore, call on the regulatory agency, the NUC, to immediately do the needful.
“The Edo State Government should make haste to release a white paper on the report of the Special Visitation Panel to the university in October 2020 to deter further embezzlement of the finances of the university and mismanagement of its affairs,” he said.
Esumeh also called for the restoration of Governing Council to pave way for immediate appointment of substantive principal officers.
Vice-Chancellor of the Edo State-owned university, Prof. Sonnie Adagbonyin, had, however, told The Tide’s source that the crisis was caused by union leaders’ refusal to understand the peculiarities of the university’s operational system.
“The State Government, he said, had never reneged in its financial obligations to the university and had been prompt in the release of the monthly subvention to the institution.
“We must understand that like all universities, AAU has its own peculiar system of operations. It relies on subvention from the State Government while the university management augments from fees paid by students.
“The union’s quarrel is that it is not as much as it used to be. But they have also failed to realise that within the university system, our capacity to discipline the resources and all the things that we do also have a role to play in sustaining us as a university.
“That has been the missing link. People just look at the amount government brings and begin to complain. How can this be enough to pay this or salary and can this settle the whole issues on ground.
“I want to say that what has always created a backlog of unpaid salaries is not what government brings. It is not the IGR the university generates. It is the consistency in the fragmentation of academic calendar.
“And I think that it is what offended government to the extent of suspending activities of unions in the institution,” the Vice-Chancellor explained.
The Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaete Obot, has called for regular release of funds to the judiciary to ensure effective dispensation of justice.
Obot made the call recently while speaking at the opening of the 2024/2025 legal year in Uyo.
The Chief Judge said the judiciary in Akwa Ibom State had been grappling with debts arising from non-release of funds in 2023.
She said the judiciary required adequate funding to perform optimally, saying, “we need funds to maintain our facilities across the hierarchy of courts in the state”.
Obot further stated that the state judiciary was hugely under-staffed, and required more manpower.
“The last recruitment into the state judiciary was done in 2012. There is need to address the issue of shortage of staff in the system.
“Shortage of staff has made us to assign only one staff to cover duty schedules that are meant for two or three persons.
“Within the last two years, no fewer than 316 staff have retired from the state judiciary without replacement.
“When retirement goes on for many years without regular replacement, many skills and competences will be lost”, she said.
The Chief Judge decried the absence of basic educational facilities in correctional centres in state.
She suggested the establishment of adult education facilities within the correctional centres to support the education needs of inmates.
“Inmates require basic primary, secondary education and skills acquisition facilities to earn the needed reform”, she said.
In his remarks, the State Governoe, Umo Eno, assured the judiciary of the state government’s support and cooperation to enhance effective dispensation of justice.
Eno commended the Chief Judge and the judiciary in the state for their steadfastness and commitment to justice delivery.
The Tide’s source reports that a special court session was held during the event to signal the commencement of new legal year.
Delta State Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Comrade Reuben Izeze, has said the State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, was determined to deliver quality road projects to all Deltans across the State.
The Commissioner, who spoke recently during an inspection of projects in Warri South and Uvwie Local Government Areas of the state, said Governor Oborevwori was desirous to ensure that Deltans get value for every money spent on projects in the state.
The projects inspected include Central Hospital Road, Warri; Edo Guest House Road, Ekpan; Ogbetuo Avenue, Effurun; Rehabilitation and construction of Bright Hope Street with spurs to Okiemute Street, and Senator James Manager Street, Off Airport Road, Effurun, and Uti Road, Effurun.
Izeze, who paid unscheduled visits to the various project sites, expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done thus far by the various contractors, assuring that Governor Oborevwori’s promise to revamp Warri and environs was becoming a reality.
“I am very satisfied with the work being done at the places we have visited so far. As you can see, the visits were not scheduled, the contractors were not expecting us because I did not call any of them.
“We decided to take them unawares in the hope that probably some of them may have decided to go on vacation. Right from the Central Hospital where the drains are being extended to discharge water into the natural waterways for the road to be reasphalted.
“We are satisfied that the contractor was on site and working according to specifications as provided for in the Bills of Engineering Measurement (BEME).
“So also the contractor handling Ogbetuo Avenue, Effurun, when we got there even though they were not physically on site, we noticed that they have done the binder course waiting for the finishing course to be applied and I can certify that the quality of work done are good enough”, he said.
At Bright Hope Street with spurs to Okiemute Street and James Manager Street, the Commissioner said he visited to see the level and quality of work that has been done, especially considering the fact that the contractor was raising his final certificate.
“For me as a matter of principle and following the Governor’s directive, any job that requires certification, will need my physical presence to inspect and ensure that government is getting value for money spent.
“As Governor Oborevwori has promised Deltans, he intends to extract value for every money spent on every job that is done and he insists on quality supervision.
“As you all know, supervision and management is key to most of our projects because contractors are capitalists, if you leave them they will want to make the highest profit as possible. So we go back and certify that the job is satisfactory”, he noted.
At Uti Road, Effurun, the Commissioner, who met the contractor excavating the ground and sand filling with white sharp sand as provided in the BEME, took measurements of the depth and expressed satisfaction with the contractor for following specifications.
“As you can see, the contractor is on site and doing the job according to specification and we do hope that they speed up their pace so that as soon as the rains abate, they can get the road ready for inauguration.
“We are optimistic of its completion soonest so that all the residents and adjoining streets that this strategic road feeds will heave a sigh of relief.
“They will also appreciate the fact that Governor Oborevwori’s promise to give Warri and environs a facelift is now coming to reality right before their very eyes”.
On Edo Guest House Road, Ekpan, Izeze said, “the job has been completed and you can see the quality of work that has been done, the job has been completed.
“I am very elated that the residents are happy with the completion. All through the period we visited on inspection, the residents had always asked us to convey their appreciation to Governor Oborevwori because they had thought the road would never be completed.
“You can see how elated they were and that is the essence of governance. When you are able to put smile on the face of someone who does not need to have access to you to have development brought to their door step.
“I felt very fulfilled because the essence of governance is public service and when you service the public and they appreciate it, its quite exciting”.
By: Albert Ograka, Asaba
Bayelsa State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on security operatives to investigate the state’s Commissioner for Power, Engr. Komuku Kharim over alleged terror attacks at the party’s secretariat in Yenagoa, the state capital.
Briefing newsmen shortly after a closed door meeting of the party’s State Executive Council, Chairman of the party, Barr. Dennis Otiotio, alleged that as a fallout of the recent suspension of some erring members of the party by their Wards and Local Government Areas, thugs believed to be loyal to the Commissioner launched mayhem and unwarranted attacks at the party’s State Secretariat.
Otiotio faulted the Commissioner, describing it as “political rascality taken too far”.
The Tide learnt that the Bayelsa State chapter of the APC recently suspended 10 of its members, including the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, over alleged anti-party activities.
Leadership of the party, which also bared its mind on the membership status of the suspended Minister and others, noted that the State Working Committee (SWC) was planning a possible review or ratification of the suspension within timelines, saying as party faithful, it was expedient that all members work together for the progress and unity of the party in accordance with the renewed hope mantra of President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We call on the Nigerian Police and other security formations to institute an investigation on the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Power, Engr. Komuku Kharim, and call him and his thugs to order.
“This morning, Monday 14th October, 2024, thugs and other hoodlums believed to be loyal to him stormed the APC State Secretariat in their numbers with the intent to maim party faithful and cause unwarranted destruction.
“The recent suspension of some erring members of the party, including the Honourable Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (oil), and others wasn’t carried out by the party’s State Executive Council, but by the wards and LGAs chapters of the suspended members.
“As a party, we’ve conducted ourselves within the ambits of the law. The APC is a party that believes in the rule of law and order. It’s on record that the said Commissioner until his recent appointment by the Governor Douye Diri’s administration has been allegedly enmeshed in several anti-party activities.’’
“Rather than direct his grievances to the appropriate party authorities and other available dispute resolution mechanisms within the party, Engr. Komuku instead chose to unleash mayhem on the party’s secretariat and members”, the APC said.
In the same vein, the lawmaker representing Southern-Ijaw constituency 4 in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Victor-Ben Selekaye, has charge the party’s faithfuls and the general public to discountenance rumours that the present State Working Committee of the party has been sacked by the court.
He said it became necessary to correct the erroneous believe as, according to him, that matter has been resolved by organs of the party at all levels, noting that the party was looking forward to an expanded state working committee meeting were all stakeholders will be in attendance to resolve all perceived grievances and other pending issues.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa