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ASUU broke promise to end strike on December 9, says Ngige

Published

4 years ago

December 9, 2020

The Federal Government has accused the Academic Staff Union of Universities of reneging on its ‘gentleman’ agreement to call off its strike before December 9 (today).

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, stated this on Tuesday, just as he said the FG had fulfilled all its promises and offers made to the union.

He said ASUU agreed at their last meeting with the government team on November 27 to call off their nine-month-old strike before December 9.

He was reacting to the position of the ASUU’s president, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, that the government had failed to deliver on offers made to the union.

The union leader had blamed the FG for the union’s failure to call off the strike, noting that the lecturers would not return to classes until their salary arrears were paid.

Ngige said, “The truth of the matter is that a ‘gentleman agreement’ was reached at the last meeting in which ASUU agreed to call off the strike before December 9, 2020, and the minister, in turn, agreed that once the strike is called off, he would get a presidential waiver for ASUU to be paid the remainder of their salaries on or before December 9.”

This was contained in a statement titled, ‘We have kept our promises to ASUU – FG.’

Ngige said it was discomfiting for ASUU to wrongly inform the public that the government agreed to pay all withheld salaries before it would resume work.

He insisted that the timelines attached to the various offers made to the union had been complied with.

The minister stated, “The N40bn Earned Academic Allowances have also been processed just as the N30bn revitalisation funds, bringing it to N70bn. Likewise, the visitation panels for the universities have been approved by the President but the panel cannot perform its responsibilities until the shut universities are re-opened.

“The gazetting is also being rounded off at the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation while the Ministry of Education is ready to inaugurate the various visitation panels.”

He also said, “They were paid for February and March, after which it was extended to April, May and June, months they were on strike on compassionate ground, bringing it to five months.”

Uncategorized

Nigeria saves $20bn from subsidy removal – Finance Minister Edun

Published

2 days ago

November 24, 2024

Trends Admin

Nigeria saves $20bn from subsidy removal – Finance Minister Edun

Wale Edun, Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, has declared that the country has saved $20 billion by eliminating the petrol subsidy and adopting market-based foreign exchange pricing.

He made this disclosure at an event in Abuja marking the first 100 days in office of Esther Walso-Jack, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

Edun stated, “When there was a subsidy on the PMS and on foreign exchange, they collectively cost five percent of the GDP.

“Assuming GDP was $400 billion on average, five percent of that is $20 billion—funds that could now go into infrastructure, health, social services, and education.”

He explained that the savings were being redirected into developmental projects. He said, “The real change is that no one can wake up and target cheap funding or forex from the central bank to enrich themselves without adding value. “Similarly, profiteering from the inefficient petrol subsidy regime is no longer possible.”

President Bola Tinubu officially ended the petrol subsidy regime on May 29, 2023.

metro

Crude-for-naira deal: NNPC fails to deliver agreed crude oil – Dangote refinery

Published

4 days ago

November 22, 2024

Trends Admin

Crude-for-naira deal: NNPC fails to deliver agreed crude oil – Dangote refinery

The Lagos-based mega Dangote refinery has accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) of failing to meet its crude oil supply obligations under the naira-for-crude agreement.

Edwin Devakumar, the Vice President of the Dangote Group, disclosed this in a statement reported by Reuters.

Devakumar explained that the national oil company had committed to supplying the refinery with a minimum of 385,000 barrels per day (bpd) under the crude-for-naira deal.

Crude-for-naira deal: NNPC fails to deliver agreed crude oil – Dangote refinery

News

Tinubu restructures media team, says no individual presidential spokesman

Published

1 week ago

November 19, 2024

Trends Admin

Tinubu restructures media team, says no individual presidential spokesman

President Bola Tinubu has reorganised his media team, re-designating the positions of his two recently appointed special advisers for media and communications.

This is contained in a statement released on Monday night by his Special Adviser on Media and Strategies, Bayo Onanuga.

He said Sunday Dare, the special adviser on public communication and national orientation, is now the special adviser on media and public communications.

Onanuga added that Daniel Bwala, announced last week as a special adviser on media and public communication, will now function as the special adviser on policy communication.

“These appointments, along with the existing role of special adviser, information and strategy, underscore that there is no single individual spokesperson for the presidency,” the statement read.

There had been some confusion as Onanuga, designated as special adviser on communication and strategy, had been the presidential spokesman since the exit of Ngelale Ajuri, who was special adviser on media and publicity.

However, on Monday, Bwala announced himself as the presidential spokesperson.

“Today, I resumed officially as the Special Adviser, Media and Public Communications/Spokesperson (State House). I am happy to have joined a meeting of the robust and fantastic communication team of Mr. President. I love the existing unity among the team and hope we can leverage on that even for more synergy,” he wrote on his X handle.