NEWS
ASUU Gifts N1.7m To 15 UNIUYO Students
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, University of Uyo Branch, has distributed more than N1.7 million to 15 financially challenged students of the university who excelled in their academic pursuits.
It also bestowed heroes’ awards on past leaders who guided the union through challenging periods in the history of the branch.
The awardees were honoured during the Heroes’ Day Celebration held at the university on Monday.
The union’s National President, Prof Emmanuel Osadeke, commended the awardees for their steadfastness and selfless service to the union despite the difficulties they faced and urged them to remain committed to the course.
The ASUU president urged past and present leaders of the union to rise against the alleged injustice by
vice chancellors who have turned staff employment into their ‘constituency projects’ by employing all manners of people without due process.
He noted that no university in the country has advertised for vacancies in the past six to 10 years but that staff strength have tripled in such universities, adding that those appointed have nothing to do in the academic world .
“I must heartily congratulate all the heroes honoured today for the sacrifices they made to the point of termination of appointments, seizure of salaries, demotion among other travails for speaking truth to powers for the benefit of others.
“Before now, university employment was done through advertisement followed by rigorous interviews but now how do people get here? It is through temporary appointments. That’s the problem that we have today. I do not know of any university for the past six to 10 years that has advertised, but the staff strength has tripled.
“Vice-Chancellors just sat down somewhere and packed people from traditional rulers, governors, and all other politicians into the Nigerian universities as lecturers and most of them are now scavengers in the system, going after money and all manners of things.
“Unfortunately, university employment has turned into a constituency project and we have to struggle to reverse this misnomer and bring sanity to the system,” he said.
A retired Professor of Ethnocomunicology, Prof Desmond Wilson, in a keynote lamented that the struggles of the union have been made difficult by fifth columnists and other agents employed by the government to cause confusion.
While stressing that heroism was not a blank cheque to misbehavior, the professor urged all members of the union to remain selfless and committed in the fight for the betterment of all and the redemption of Nigerian Universities from its quagmires.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Nyaudoh Ndaeyo, who was represented by Prof Ben Etuk, commended ASUU for it selfless service to humanity.
He noted that the role played by the union has contributed immensely to the better welfare among the University staff.
Responding, one of the student beneficiaries of the ASUU-UUB scholarship award, Ekpo Friday, from the Faculty of Education commended the union for bringing succour to the indigent students of the institution, adding that the gesture was a morale booster for them to concentrate on their studies to finish their University Education with good grades.
Prof. Opeyemi Olajide, the acting chairperson, stated that the gesture was intended to encourage the students—who were also recognised as exceptional members of their respective faculties—to complete their course of study.
Prof. Joseph Ushie, Prof. Edet Akpan, Prof. Desmond Wilson, and Dr. Etop Ndiyo are among those awarded for their dedicated contribution. Profs. Ashong Ashong and Aniesua Essiet are among the others.
In the midst of political tensions, the faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly aligned with Governor Siminalayi Fubara has conducted the screening and confirmation of legal expert Dagogo Israel Iboroma, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), as the Commissioner-designate.
Led by Speaker Victor Oko Jumbo, the faction endorsed Commissioner-nominee Dagogo Iboroma on Monday, within the Chambers of the Rivers State Government House in Port Harcourt.
Iboroma is poised to assume the role of Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, succeeding Professor Zaccheus Adangor SAN, who resigned upon his redeployment to the Ministry of Special Duties (Governor’s office) two weeks ago.
According to report, Iboroma received an invitation on Sunday, signed by Dr. G.M. Gills-West, the Clerk of the House, summoning him for screening as the Commissioner nominee and potential member of the Rivers State Executive Council.
Recall that last week, Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo, a factional Speaker aligned with Governor Fubara, was elected after Governor Fubara asserted that the Martin Amaewhule-led lawmakers, loyal to Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital, ceased to be Rivers State lawmakers in the eyes of the law following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Observers speculate that Governor Fubara is pushing forward to instigate governance activities, with more Commissioner nominees expected to undergo screening by the Victor Oko Jumbo-led three-man Lawmakers.
However, our correspondent highlights that the invitation for screening is already stirring controversies.
In a Facebook post by lawyer Oraye St Franklyn, he raised various legal issues.
Former Rivers State House of Assembly Speaker, Edison Ehie has revealed that he was offered money to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Ehie, now serving as Chief of Staff to the governor, was previously the majority leader when the first attempt to impeach Fubara took place.
Along with a few others, he opposed the move, leading to a split from the lawmakers loyal to Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Ehie later became the speaker of the faction, which disbanded after President Bola Tinubu intervened and a peace accord was signed between the Wike and Fubara camps.
The peace efforts faltered shortly thereafter, and the two factions resumed their conflict.
Speaking at an event in Ahoada East area of Rivers State over the weekend, Ehie reiterated that he was offered money to oust the governor.
While he didn’t reveal the identities of those behind the offer, he affirmed that he declined it.
He said “They invited me, your son, to impeach the governor and I told them clearly, I was not interested. They gave me all the money that was hidden before, which I rejected. And because I refused, they conspired and declared me wanted.”
Recall that in 2023, the police declared the Chief of Staff wanted in connection with the invasion of the State House of Assembly.
Also, in October 2023, an explosion rocked the state assembly building amidst reports of lawmakers attempting to impeach Fubara.
The lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule reportedly lodged criminal complaints against Ehie with the Rivers State Police Command over the invasion and arson of the Rivers State House of Assembly chambers by unidentified hoodlums.
Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), led a raucous protest at the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) headquarters in Abuja against the recent spike in electricity tariffs on Monday.
According to report, protesters, including workers from the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), forcefully entered the NERC complex on Monday.
Workers, supported by the NLC and the Trade Union Congress, besieged various electricity distribution company offices in defiance of the Band A tariff increase.
This nationwide agitation, sparked by the Federal Government’s removal of subsidies and tariff adjustments, threatened to paralyze key power sector institutions including NERC’s Abuja headquarters, the Ministry of Power, and state distribution company offices.
Recall that NERC’s had April 3, announced the electricity tariffs hike for Band A customers from N68/kWh to N225 per kilowatt-hour.
See video below:
Fubara’s Allies In Rivers Assembly Confirm Iboroma As Commissioner
I Was Offered Bribe To Remove Fubara, Says Ex-Rivers Speaker
Tariff Hike: NLC President Leads Protest In Abuja [Video]
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