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ASUP Calls Off Strike
A cross section of participants at the Civil Service week in Port Harcourt, yesterday
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) said yesterday that it had decided to suspend its indefinite strike, which began on April 29.
“We have decided to suspend the strike from tomorrow, July 17,’’ the union’s president, Mr Chibuzor Asomogba, told newsmen yesterday, in Lagos, after a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.
Asomogba, who spoke with newsmen on phone, said that all ASUP members were expected to return to work on Wednesday, adding that there would be more details later.
Our correspondent recalls that the National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Education, the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’i, and her Labour and Productivity counterpart, Chief Emeka Wogu, met with the union on July 9, and urged it to call off the strike.
The union listed an alleged failure of the federal and state governments to implement agreements as one of the reasons it went on strike, noting that it had adversely affected polytechnic education.
It also demanded full implementation of the Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTISS 15) and a stoppage of the discrimination against holders of the Higher National Diploma.
The union also protested against the absence of a National Polytechnics Commission and the deplorable condition of many polytechnics in the country.
Meanwhile, The Federal Government has again pleaded with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off its strike and return to the classes.
The Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’i, made the call yesterday in an interview with newsmen after a Workshop on World Bank Initiated Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) Project in Abuja.
“We are still pleading with them, let them do all they can to make our students return to classes.
“We are talking, and we will continue to talk. We are also meeting with all stakeholders to resolve the crisis, and we are confident that very soon, the strike will be called off,” Rufa’i said.
Besides, the minister said, government was making concerted efforts to restructure the university system, which was the main demand by ASUU.
Earlier speaking at the workshop, the minister said that the ACE project was a higher education project seeking to promote regional specialisation among participating universities within the Science, Technology and Mathematics (STEM) areas.
According to her, it addresses particular common regional development challenges and strengthens the capacities of those universities to deliver high quality training and applied research.
“You are here today to be updated on the ACE project and also to be guided on the procedures involved in the selection process and discuss focal areas for proposal submission.
‘You are also to discuss the criteria for participation and other necessary information that will help equip your institutions to be successful in the competitive process,” the minister told participants.
She said that the workshop had come at a good time, when the Federal Government was on the verge of commissioning the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NGREN).
Rufa’i said the Federal Government and other stakeholders had invested a lot of energy and resources into the Network towards addressing some of the IT challenges of the Nigeria University System (NUS) in the areas of learning, teaching and research.
“So, with the resources at the disposal of the NUS, at this time, I challenge you to come up with good proposals that would ensure that you emerge as Centres of Excellence in Africa,” she charged participants.
Also addressing newsmen, the Executive Secretary(ES) of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie, called on ASUU to look inward and fashion out ways of improving the structure of the university system.
“In the last three years, the Federal Government has provided every university with N3 billion annually to revamp the university structure.
“Let them mop up what they have because we may in fact have excess facility in the university system,” Okojie said.
According to him, all that government is insisting on is for the universities to have credible staff and student audit to aid in the sector’s development planning.
The ES said government was also insisting that the universities gave account of the funds that were being pumped into the institutions as well as show what kind of projects they planned to embark on before further release of funds.
He said the Federal Government should not be blamed entirely for the failures or lack of development of the university system.
“Unfortunately, they run the system, so how can they say the government has not done this or that? Let our people understand that we must make progress,” he stated.
Explaining the objective of the workshop, Okojie said it was to meet the demand for skills required to develop Africa.
He said it was also to contribute to the strengthening of the best African universities within science-based education.
“This is in line with one of the goals of the NUC, which is to match graduate output with the national manpower needs,” he said.
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.