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Half Salary: ASUU Declares Lecture-Free Day In Protest Of ‘No-Work, No-Pay’ Policy
The Federal Government has implemented a “no-work, no-pay” policy for professors in the nation, and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is planning a one-day nationwide protest rally in response.
The demonstration will be organized at the branch level of the union on all public university campuses across the country, and it will happen on a day when all lecturers who are members will receive free classes.
Dr. Dele Ashiru, the branch chairman of ASUU at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) confirmed this to journalists, on Sunday.
He claims that all colleges and universities having ASUU members have been told to pick a day of the week to host a special congress and hold a protest rally on their campuses.
He said that UNILAG-ASUU had set November 15 as the date for their own rally.
According to him, the protest rally’s sole purpose is to draw attention to ASUU’s strong displeasure with the Federal Government’s attempt to casualize the academics in the nation by using the “no-work, no-pay policy” to compensate them.
He emphasized that professors at universities are professionals and thinkers who cannot be treated like hourly employees.
Ashiru emphasized that all members of the ASUU, UNILAG branch, are required to attend the congress and take part fully in the protest rally, just like other lecturers in other branches of the union would.
He claimed that the casualization of academics—who are intellectuals for any reason—is completely foreign to the academic system everywhere in the world.
He claims that Chris Ngige, the minister of labor and employment, wants to demonstrate his superior knowledge, but we will show him that his attempt to restrain lecturers, in particular from engaging in unionism, would never succeed as far as Nigeria is concerned.
Meanwhile, in a memo by the branch to members of the union and obtained by Nigerian Tribune, the union asked all concerned stakeholders to come out on Tuesday for the rally, saying “A people united can never be defeated.”
The National Coordinator of the Education Rights Campaign, Hassan Soweto, the Secretary General of the Joint Front Action, Giwa Yisa Temitope, the Public Relations Officer of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), and Victor Odeyemi, among others, are among the rights activists scheduled to speak at the event.
Recalls that the Federal Government only paid the public university lecturers, who had been on strike for eight months and returned to work on October 14, 50% salary for the month of October.
The lecturers assert that the Minister of Labor and Employment, who had previously promised that the Federal Government would implement a “no-work, no-pay” policy for the lecturers, was responsible for the payment of half their salaries.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Sunday, January 26, 2025, to participate in the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The two-day summit, scheduled for January 27-28, 2025, is aimed at advancing “Mission 300,” a pan-African initiative to provide electricity to 300 million people across the continent by 2030.
Hosted by the Tanzanian government in collaboration with the African Development Bank Group and the World Bank, the summit will bring together African leaders, private sector stakeholders, development partners, and civil society organizations.
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The goal is to develop strategies for accelerating energy access in underserved regions, increasing renewable energy adoption, and mobilizing private sector investment.
According to a statement released on Saturday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President, the summit will serve as a platform for sharing expertise, knowledge, and resources to address Africa’s energy challenges.
The first day of the summit will feature ministerial-level discussions, during which participating nations, including Nigeria, will present their national energy strategies, or “compacts,” detailing their plans to achieve universal energy access within five years.
On the second day, African Heads of State will sign the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, a unified roadmap for achieving the goals of Mission 300.
President Tinubu is expected to deliver a national statement reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to universal energy access and its leadership role in the continent’s energy sector.
He will also highlight Nigeria’s ongoing clean energy initiatives and integrated energy delivery strategies aimed at fostering sustainable development across Africa.
Accompanying the president will be key government officials, including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu, and Special Adviser to the President on Energy Olu Verheijen.
President Tinubu is set to return to Abuja immediately after the summit concludes.
The menace of illegal migration is getting diplomatic attention from the Italian authorities and the Edo State Government.
The Chief Press Secretary to Edo State Governor, Fred Itua divulged this in a government house statement issued in Benin City on Saturday.
He explained that the Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Edesili Anani had expressed the readiness of the Governor, Monday Okpebholo-led administration to tackle the menace of irregular migration among youths in the state.
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It was gathered that Anani made the stance public on Friday in Government House, Benin City, when Dr. Alberto Cilala, a consultant to the European Union and President of Mattei Africa for Humanitarian Aids Initiative in Italy, led a delegation to her office.
Welcoming the delegation, she highlighted the importance of collaboration to address the challenges posed by irregular migration.
The Coordinator expressed her gratitude to the delegation, and emphasized the transformative impact the partnership will bring to Edo State.
In her words, “This initiative will reduce unemployment, create job opportunities, and address human trafficking and irregular migration. It will also enhance education, skills acquisition, agricultural investment, and infrastructural development for our people.”
On his part, Dr. Cilala emphasized that the Mattei Plan would provide valuable skills to Edo State residents, including tailoring, furniture-making, shoemaking, and more.
“The Mattei Plan was launched by the Italian Government with a focus on six key sectors: education and training, health, security, agriculture, and renewable energy. The goal is to promote integrated development and improve living conditions, particularly in rural areas.
“These projects will be fully funded by the Italian Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Labour,” he stated.
Former Senior Special Assistant to the Edo State Government on Anti-Human Trafficking and Irregular Migration, Solomon Okoduwa, in his remarks, said the Mattei Plan prioritizes practical measures to reduce irregular migration and human trafficking.
“Although nine African countries are involved in this initiative, Edo State is a crucial partner for Italy. This partnership will strengthen bilateral relations under the leadership of His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo,” he said.
Brand Ambassador of the Mattei Plan, Olorogun John Paul, popularly known as Daddy Showkey was at the event and lauded the initiative.
He noted, “This program provides an opportunity for Edo State beneficiaries to gain training in various skills, equipping them for sustainable livelihoods.”
Supporters of the impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, on Saturday morning stormed the Speaker’s Lodge located at 47 Joel Ogunnaike Street, GRA Ikeja, Lagos.
The supporters, dressed in pro-Obasa vests and caps, arrived in large numbers at the premises.
According to multiple sources, the group was planning a “heroic welcome” for the former Speaker, who was recently removed from office by a majority of lawmakers in the House.
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Obasa, who was out of the country at the time of his impeachment, was replaced by the former deputy speaker, Mojisola Meranda.
Since her emergence as Speaker, Meranda has presided over two sittings, with Obasa absent from both.
The choice of the Speaker’s Lodge as the location for Obasa’s supposed welcome sparked controversy, as he is no longer officially entitled to the property following his removal.
A resident in the area expressed surprise over the situation, saying, “I didn’t expect that the lodge would be opened for them.”
Armed security personnel, including police officers, were deployed to the area to maintain order and prevent any potential disruption.
As of the time of filing this report, Obasa had yet to arrive at the lodge.
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