“I will be firm, fair, and transparent in the discharge of my duties. UNN must not lag behind in the current technological revolution, characterised by the rivalry between OpenAI and DeepSeek,” he assured.
Education
Poly lecturers threaten strike over N35,000 wage award
Poly lecturers threaten strike over N35,000 wage award
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has asked the federal government to pay its members the N35,000 wage award approved for public sector workers to strike .
President of ASUP, Shammah Kpanja said polytechnic lecturers “are angry and agitating due to economic hardship.”
Kpanja lamented that government has only paid the N35,000 once despite saying the payment would run for six months.
The government approved the payment of N35,000 to public servants to cushion the effect of subsidy removal.
It commenced the payment in September last year with civil servants confirming the payment of the money to them.
Kpanja said: “Government has no reason for not paying that N35, 000 wage award, you know when this government came onboard , they introduced some economy policies, one is the removal of subsidy in the price of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS), and this brought about increase in prices of goods and services and this affected the condition of living of our members.
“With struggles from the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, and other stakeholders , the government agreed to pay as palliative the sum of N35. 000 as wage award for workers pending when the national Minimum wage will be implemented in March .
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“The agreement was that the wage award will run for 6 months effective from September 2023, but as we speak , the government only paid in September and now is January 2024, yet the government is not saying anything despite the harsh economic situation . Right now people cannot pay transport to their places of work and the small palliative you promise to give them is not forthcoming.”
He also said the government was yet to implement the 35 and 25 per cent salary increase for tertiary institutions workers.
He said: “The last time the salary of academic staff in the Polytechnics was increase was in 2010 and from that time till now, inflation has eaten deep into what was approved then , the cost of living has gone high, consumer price index has gone high and we have started the re-negotiation of 2010 agreement , along the one, government stopped the agreement but later increased the salary of chief lecturers in the Polytechnics by 35 per cent while other staff salary was increased by 25 per cent and the increments was supposed to take effect from January 2023 .
“Now it is January 2024, yet the government has not implemented that and seriously we are embarrassed and angry with the government. If the government has issued a circular that your salary has been increased, the best thing for them to do is to commence implementation but one year after we still don’t know what is happening.”
The union leader appealed to the government to address the issues raised, saying: “So we want to inform the government that the tension is high in the sector because members are agitating so we are begging the government to do the needful before it gets out of hand.”
He added: “We have given the government enough time to do the needful because our members are agitating because the economy is biting harder. We are going to call our NEC meeting once this window we have given the government doesn’t yield any positive result.”
Poly lecturers threaten strike over N35,000 wage award
(NATION)
Education
UNN appoints Prof Olayiwola Usman as first Yoruba DVC (Academics)
UNN appoints Prof Olayiwola Usman as first Yoruba DVC (Academics)
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has appointed Professor Kamoru Olayiwola Usman, a Yoruba Muslim from Oyo State, as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), marking the first time in the institution’s history that a person of Yoruba descent has held the position.
The appointment, made by the Acting Vice-Chancellor (Ag. VC), Professor Oguejiofo T. Ujam, is part of ongoing reforms aimed at fostering inclusive governance and restoring the university’s academic excellence.
In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja, the university reaffirmed its commitment to merit-based leadership and national unity.
Professor Ujam stated: “The appointment of Professor Usman reflects our resolve to prioritise competence over sectional considerations. It is imperative that we sustain this culture of inclusivity and meritocracy to move the university forward.”
In addition to Professor Usman’s appointment, the Acting VC also named Dr Mansur Adebowale Saddiq as Acting Director of the Medical Centre, further demonstrating his commitment to promoting excellence over sectional interests.
Both appointments have been widely welcomed by scholars and students from diverse backgrounds, recognising them as steps towards strengthening national unity within the institution.
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Professor Usman, who succeeds Professor Urama, holds a PhD in Mathematics Education and previously served as Provost of the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State, from 2015 to 2023.
A distinguished academic, he is a fellow of the Mathematical Association of Nigeria and a member of several professional bodies, including the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies and the Nigerian Educational Research Association. His initial tenure as DVC (Academics) will last for two years, with the possibility of renewal.
Meanwhile, the statement also highlighted that during a recent University Senate meeting, Professor Ujam emphasised the collective responsibility of repositioning UNN as a centre for ethical and innovative learning.
“A collective effort is required to place the institution on a steady path towards ethical and innovative learning. UNN must regain its pride of place as Nigeria’s premier university. We must rid the system of narrow-minded sectionalism and divisive tendencies that have eroded the enabling environment for research, comparative studies, and the adaptive application of new knowledge,” the statement read.
Education
FG to pay corps members backlog of delayed N77,000 allowance
FG to pay corps members backlog of delayed N77,000 allowance
The Federal Government has promised to pay the backlog of the new ₦77,000 monthly allowance to members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The corps members’ allowance was increased from ₦33,000 to ₦77, 000 in September 2024.
However, the new rate has yet to be implemented.
Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, on Monday said serving corps members and those in the scheme when the increment was announced in September 2024 would receive a backdated payment.
He gave the assurance when he was featured on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
He said, “You saw the new DG saying that you will get it, and they’re asking him a question ‘What about those that are going out now, are they going to receive it [backlog]?’ He said ‘We have your details’,” the minister said.
“The backlog, we will work on it and make sure it is paid. It may not be immediate but it will happen.”
Education
Why postgraduate students are ineligible for FG loan – NELFUND
Why postgraduate students are ineligible for FG loan – NELFUND
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has clarified the eligibility criteria for the scheme, explaining why students pursuing post-graduate programmes are not qualified to apply for the facility.
Managing Director of the Fund, Akintunde Sawyerr, gave the revelation while speaking on TVC’s Breakfast Saturday.
Sawyerr also addressed concerns regarding postgraduate students’ eligibility for the loan, explaining that the facility is currently only available to students pursuing their first degree.
“The way the President has set this up and the way he has insisted that this must work is that you don’t need to know anybody to access this loan. And that’s what we are doing. No connections, no long leg, no man-know-man. We are not going to allow it to happen. The President wants us to completely democratize education.”
Although repayments have not yet been received, the Managing Director assured that the Fund is developing a robust repayment structure to facilitate timely and effective loan repayments.
He said currently, postgraduate students are not eligible to apply for the loan, as the primary focus is on supporting students pursuing their first degree.
Future plans for postgraduate students
Sawyerr, however, offered a glimmer of hope for postgraduate students, indicating that they may be eligible for the loan facility in the future.
“Post-graduate students can’t apply for this loan. We have a lot of people in this country who are just trying to get on the first rung of the ladder as far as tertiary education is concerned. The funds we have are focused on those people who are looking for their first opportunity.
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“I congratulate those who have graduated who are doing their Master’s or PhDs, it’s fantastic. At some point in the future, we will be able to fund them. Today, we are looking for those who need us most. They are the people we want to support.”
He emphasized that while plans exist to extend financial support to postgraduate students, the immediate priority remains assisting undergraduates who face financial difficulties.
The Fund is committed to ensuring that students do not drop out of tertiary institutions due to lack of funds, and future adjustments to the loan scheme will be considered based on available resources and policy direction.
Over 271,000 students enrolled
According to the Managing Director, revealed that more than 271,000 Nigerian students pursuing tertiary education have received a financial lifeline through the Federal Government’s Student Loan program since its launch in May 2024.
“Nigerian students are reacting extremely positively to the initiative. And as more disbursements happen, they are becoming more trusting. One of the interesting things going on at the moment is that President Bola Tinubu is restoring trust in the government. The students are receiving it well. We are transparent about what we are doing.
“In total, to date, we have about 271,000 Nigerian students who have either had their fees paid or their fees plus upkeep,” he noted.
As of Saturday, March 22, out of 521,000 students who have registered for the loan facility, approximately 438,000 have submitted their applications.
Why postgraduate students are ineligible for FG loan – NELFUND
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