NEWS
Reps wades into ASUU saga, summons labour minister, AGF, SGF, others
The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of Civil service of the Federation, Accountant General of the Federation, Director General, Salaries, income and Wages Commission, Director General Budget Office, among others have summoned to appear before the House Representatives next week Thursday.
Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria, Femi Gbajabiamila
The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, gave the directive Thursday at the resumed fact finding meeting on strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.
In continuation of the efforts to find solutions to the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Speaker of the House of Representatives alongside his deputy Rep. Ahmed Idris Wase and other leaders of the House on Thursday met with the Head of Service of the Federation (HoS), Mrs Folashade Yemi-Esan, the chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Mr. Ekpo Nta, among other government officials.
Read also>>>ASUU Strike: Court Orders Varsity Lecturers Back to Classroom
The meeting was a follow up to an earlier one the Speaker held with ASUU officials on Tuesday, where issues related to the strike were discussed.
The outcome of Tuesday’s meeting led the House leadership to invite the Head of Service, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, the Accountant General of the Federation, among others.
At Thursday’s meeting, NITDA told the House leadership that the Integrated Payroll Personnel Information System (IPPIS), the University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) and the University Peculiar Personnel and Payroll System (U3PS) failed its integrity tests regarding the university payroll, which the agency conducted between March and JUNE this year.
A NITDA official at the meeting told the House leadership that the government directed the agency to test UTAS in October, 2020, and that the platform failed the two integrity tests conducted on it.
He said following the first test, ASUU was asked to go back and review, which it did. Yet, the platform did not meet NITDA’s requirements the second time.
For the third time, NITDA was then asked to conduct tests on UTAS, IPPIS and U3PS, which the official said all the three platforms failed its requirements regarding the payroll system of universities.
Not satisfied with the explanation, Speaker Gbajabiamila asked if NITDA advised the government to take action on the lapses found on IPPIS, which has been in operation by government since 2011. But the NITDA official said they were not in a position to do that.
Gbajabiamila also asked if NITDA queried IPPIS platform, to which the official responded in the negative.
The Deputy Speaker Wase also expressed reservations at NITDA’s action, saying it ought to have advised government on the appropriate action to take in view of its discovery on IPPIS.
However, the Head of Service, in her explanation, said the ministry of communications and digital economy wrote her office following NITDA’s observations about IPPIS on the need to take a holistic look at the platform and that a committee was empaneled to carry out the assignment.
She also noted that IPPIS is not just a payment platform but that it also has a human resource component, which all government agencies have been directed to activate, noting that all those directly under her purview have since complied.
Also, the chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Mr Nta, told the House leadership that in view of the general agitation in the tertiary education sector, the agency advised the government to look at the possibility of increasing the salaries of the staff in the entire sector, comprising universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
He said, however, that at the end of the day, the government decided to increase the salaries of lecturers in the universities by a certain percentage, while professors were considered for higher percentage.
He said he was not aware of any agreement between the Federal Government and ASUU for salary increment.
Also speaking at the meeting, the acting Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Sylva Okolieaboh, said under no circumstance should employees dictate to their employers how they should be paid, faulting ASUU’s insistence on UTAS.
After hours of deliberations, the Speaker suggested that a further follow-up meeting with ASUU officials be held on Thursday next week, which the stakeholders subscribed to. The meeting was, therefore, adjourned to Thursday next week.
To address Nigeria’s ₦9.7 trillion budget deficit for the 2024 fiscal year, the Senate has approved President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s request to secure a ₦1.77 trillion ($2.2 billion) loan.
The decision was made during Thursday’s plenary session, where a voice vote confirmed the approval following the presentation of a report by the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts.
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Chaired by Senator Wammako Magatarkada (APC, Sokoto North), the committee endorsed the loan request as a vital step in managing the country’s fiscal challenges.
Recall that President Tinubu had submitted the proposal earlier in the week, outlining the loan as a crucial component of his administration’s external borrowing strategy.
Details shortly…………..
Simon Ekpa, a Finnish citizen of Nigerian descent, has been arrested by Finnish authorities on allegations of inciting terrorist activities.
The Päijät-Häme District Court ordered his detention following an incident that reportedly occurred in Lahti on August 23, 2021.
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The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is also seeking the arrest of four other individuals in connection with the case. Officials say the charges involve public incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent.
“The detention demands are related to a preliminary investigation in which a Finnish citizen of Nigerian descent, born in the 1980s, is suspected of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent,” the police said in a statement.
Details regarding the additional suspects or the specifics of the alleged crimes remain unclear as the investigation continues. Authorities have emphasized the sensitive nature of the case, stating that further information will be disclosed as the inquiry progresses.
This development marks a significant step in Finland’s efforts to combat terrorism and ensure public safety.
International News
COP29: Climate Summit Faces Deadlock Over Vague Funding Proposals For Vulnerable Nations
As the 29th United Nations Climate Change Summit (COP29) nears its conclusion, tensions are rising over a newly published funding proposal aimed at assisting developing nations in addressing climate-induced crises.
The proposal, released by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on Thursday, has sparked widespread debate among delegations, activists, and observers at the summit.
The document, spanning ten pages, outlines funding options to support developing countries in implementing their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the 2015 Paris Agreement.
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However, it fails to specify how much wealthier nations are required to contribute annually—a key sticking point that has drawn criticism from the Global South and climate advocates.
Ambiguity in Funding Commitments
Critics argue that the absence of concrete figures undermines the credibility of the proposed framework.
Mohamed Adow, Founder and Director of Power Shift Africa, described the proposal as “a blank piece of paper,” highlighting the lack of clarity on financial commitments.
“This is the ‘finance COP.’ We came here to talk about money. The way you measure money is with numbers. We need a cheque, but all we have right now is a blank piece of paper,” Adow remarked during an interview.
The Global South, led by African delegations, is demanding at least $1.3 trillion annually by the end of the decade to adapt to climate change impacts and transition to sustainable energy systems.
Yet, developed nations have yet to commit to a specific annual figure, raising concerns over the summit’s ability to deliver tangible outcomes.
Key Provisions and Concerns
The new text acknowledges the disproportionate impact of climate change on developing nations and the financial barriers they face, including high costs of capital and limited fiscal space.
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It proposes the establishment of a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) for climate finance, suggesting a framework of “at least USD [X] trillion annually” from 2025 to 2035.
However, the absence of defined numbers has led to frustration among negotiators.
David Tong, Global Industry Campaign Manager at Oil Change International, emphasized the critical role of finance in achieving meaningful progress.
“Without finance, there is no phase-out [of fossil fuels], no energy transition, no adaptation. The ambitious options are simply missing,” Tong stated during a press briefing.
Rising Frustration from the Global South
Delegates from the Global South have expressed dissatisfaction with what they perceive as weak commitments from developed nations.
Many fear that without concrete financial pledges, the summit’s outcomes may fall short of expectations.
“This summit is about delivering justice to those who suffer most from climate impacts. Wealthy nations must step up and provide the necessary funding,” said an African negotiator, speaking on condition of anonymity.
A Critical Juncture
With less than 48 hours remaining in the summit, the stakes are high. The COP29 negotiations in Baku, dubbed the “finance COP,” are expected to set a precedent for addressing the financial needs of vulnerable nations.
Delegates are calling on world leaders to finalize an ambitious NCQG target and bridge the growing divide between developed and developing nations.
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