Education

Strike: Call ASUU to order, FG tells NLC

Published

4 years ago

March 8, 2022

Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige

–Insists that ASUU strike is illegal

THE Federal Government has urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to advise its affiliate, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to abide by the provisions of the Trade Disputes Act and call off its ongoing strike.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2022 edition of the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) in Lagos on Monday, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige urged the Council to discuss as part of its agenda, a workable recipe that appropriately conciliates disputes with associations that are not properly registered as trade unions, to ensure that they fully abide by the provisions of the law.

The Minister in a statement by Mr.Charles Akpan, Deputy Director Press and Public Relations, said, “What will be the relationship with workers organizations that are not properly registered as trade unions? The labour Act is there and it says the Minister can discuss with them. But they don’t fully conform with legal provisions, especially in terms of style of negotiation and conciliation. NLAC should therefore come to the aid of the country here.

“Even though the Trade Disputes Act permits the Minister to apprehend and deal with these workers that have not been registered as unions, you can also see that when dealing with them, you encounter problems because they do not fully understand the nuisances or obey the labour laws as it should be.

“If you are a union, you give adequate notice before proceeding on strike. If you are a union too and your strike is apprehended, you go back to your work while the necessary adjustment is made to give you justice. NLAC is expected to get the workers’ side of the tripartite live up to their responsibilities in this regard.”

The Minister noted that some associations in critical sectors of health and education such as the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) are in actual fact, not properly unionized.

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“The Nigeria Medical Association is not a trade union, the National Association of Resident Doctors is not a trade union. They are an association of workers.

“The university teachers are registered under the Academic Staff Union of Universities and are affiliated to the Nigerian Labour Congress but that affiliation is only in name. It is not indeed, because they don’t obey the Labour Act as it concerns conciliation.

“For example, ASUU declared a month strike and called it a warning strike. It did not notify their employer, the Ministry of Education, neither did they notify me, the Minister of labour that there is a breakdown in negotiation. I know that they had some discussions which were in limbo but I should be notified properly so that I can arrest the breakdown and bring it forward for proper conciliation.

“Now, I apprehended the dispute in consonance with the Labour Act. They came for conciliation, only for them to go back and continue the strike. This is illegal. The law is that once a dispute is apprehended, everybody returns to status quo ante. The law also says that if I arrest a dispute and the party or parties are not ready to confirm, I should transfer the dispute within fourteen days to either the Industrial Arbitration Panel or to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in line with section 17 of the Trade Disputes Act. But I’m concerned that if do this suo motu, this will not solve the problem of getting our children back to school outright

“So, I’m using this opportunity to plead with the NLC to which ASUU is affiliated, to call them to order, make them obey the law, to let them know what the Trade Disputes Act says and as university teachers who are even teaching industrial law, to abide by the law. They should call of that strike. That strike is not appropriately instituted. I have conciliated and made sure the issues in disputes have been decisively been dealt with.

Ngige recalled the numerous benefits of the Council especially as they relate to the review of the labour laws and adoption of the various conventions of the ILO and commended the Federal Government for moving ahead with global best practices even while working to adopt the conventions.

The Minister referred to Convention 102 which is on social security, listing the pillars to include comprehensive medical care, compensation for accidents at work, workers insurance and maternal health, saying the Employee Compensation Act 2010, National Health Insurance Scheme as well maternity and now paternity leave currently being accessed by public servants are in this direction. He restated the commitment of the Ministry to ensuring regular meetings of the council.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment and chairman of the Council, Peter Tarfa said the meeting was a demonstration of the Ministry’s commitment to regular meetings of the NLAC to strengthen the council in its role as the apex body, charged with the responsibility of ensuring industrial peace and harmony as well as sound labour administration practice.

He said “national industrial relation space” has remained turbulent despite the government’s effort, hence the need for the collective input of all stakeholders for a solution.

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“These challenges will therefore require our collective efforts to resolve. To this end , the critical role of the council in promoting industrial peace and harmony must be reinforced to resolve long-lasting industrial disputes and enhance national productivity and economic development.”

He added the Ministry has taken necessary steps to forward to the Federal Executive Council, two of the Conventions recommended by the Council in 2021 in Owerri viz Violence and Harassment in the World of Work Convention 2019 (No. 190) and the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No.187) He added that others were in progress.

He regretted the ravaging effects of COVID-19 on the economy which has compounded the challenges faced by the government and opened up more frontiers of industrial crisis.

“If we do not halt this ugly trend, attaining Goal 8 of the Sustainable Development Goals which aims to promote inclusive and sustainable economic development and decent work for all would continue to be a mirage.”

Goodwill messages were presented at the well-attended council by the Country Director of the ILO, Vanessa Lerato Phala, the NLC, TUC and NECA.

Vanguard

Education

JAMB Debunks 2026 UTME Postponement Rumour, Issues Fraud Warning

Published

6 hours ago

April 4, 2026

Trends Admin

JAMB Debunks 2026 UTME Postponement Rumour, Issues Fraud Warning

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has dismissed reports claiming that the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) has been postponed, describing the circulating notice as fake, malicious, and misleading.

In a statement released on Saturday, the board urged candidates to disregard the false information, stressing that it did not originate from JAMB and should not be taken seriously.

“Our attention has been drawn to the malicious press release stating that the 2026 UTME has been postponed. The general public, particularly candidates, are hereby informed that the press release is fake and did not emanate from us. Kindly disregard it. All activities on the 2026 UTME continue as scheduled,” the board stated.

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JAMB reaffirmed that the 2026 UTME exam dates remain unchanged, with the nationwide examination set to hold from April 16 to April 25, 2026 at accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres.

The clarification comes after the 2026 UTME mock examination held on March 28 experienced technical issues in several CBT centres, which led to confusion and speculation about a possible postponement. According to JAMB, 224,597 candidates registered for the mock exam, while 152,586 successfully sat for the test across 989 CBT centres nationwide. The board disclosed that over 20 CBT centres have been delisted due to technical failures, as part of efforts to ensure a smooth and credible main examination. JAMB assured candidates that lessons from the mock exercise would be used to improve system performance and prevent disruptions during the main UTME.

The board also raised concerns over fraudulent messages circulating online, especially on WhatsApp, where individuals falsely claim they can boost or manipulate UTME scores. JAMB warned that such claims are criminal and deceptive, stressing that any candidate found engaging in such activities risks disqualification, cancellation of registration, or withholding of results.

JAMB advised candidates to rely only on official updates from the board and avoid spreading or believing unverified information that could cause panic. The examination body reiterated its commitment to delivering a credible, transparent, and technology-driven UTME, urging candidates to remain focused as the examination approaches.

JAMB Debunks 2026 UTME Postponement Rumour, Issues Fraud Warning

Education

Ghana Sweeps Top Three Positions in 2025 WASSCE, Outshining Nigeria, Others

Published

2 days ago

April 3, 2026

Trends Admin

West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE)

Ghana Sweeps Top Three Positions in 2025 WASSCE, Outshining Nigeria, Others

Ghanaian students have once again demonstrated outstanding academic excellence in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates, claiming the top three ranks across the five participating countries. The achievement was highlighted during the 74th Annual Council Meeting of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), held from March 24 to 28, 2026, in Accra, Ghana.

Out of 2,612,830 candidates from Ghana, Nigeria, The Gambia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, three students from Ghana recorded the highest cumulative scores, confirming the country’s leading position in regional education.

Miss Huda Suglo Suleman emerged as the overall best candidate in West Africa, also receiving the prestigious Augustus Bandele Oyediran Award for her top performance. She was closely followed by Miss Paula Adzo Elinam Sowu in second place and Miss Matthea Aba Andoh in third.

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Ghana’s Vice President, Jane Opoku-Agyemang, representing President John Dramani Mahama, praised WAEC for its 74 years of promoting educational standards and regional cooperation. However, she and other officials raised concerns about the rise in examination malpractice, which they warned could undermine the credibility of the council’s work.

During the meeting, Professor Ernest K. Davis, Ghana’s Chief Government Nominee, was elected Vice Chairman of WAEC for a one-year term, succeeding Liberia’s Amos Armah Fully. The council also honored Professor William Asomaning as a Distinguished Friend of the Council for his contributions to education in the region.

The Ghana Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, represented by Deputy Minister Dr. Clement Apaak, emphasized the role of WASSCE in building intellectual and practical skills for national development. He also confirmed Ghana’s return to the international WASSCE starting from the 2026 examination cycle.

The 2025 WASSCE results underscore Ghana’s dominance in regional academic performance, setting a benchmark for other countries, including Nigeria, which aims to improve its own outcomes in future exams. The 75th WAEC Annual Council Meeting is scheduled to be hosted by Nigeria in March 2027, continuing the rotational tradition among member states.

Ghana Sweeps Top Three Positions in 2025 WASSCE, Outshining Nigeria, Others

Education

Tinubu Govt Unveils National Laureate Prize to Reward Best Theses

Published

3 days ago

April 1, 2026

Trends Admin

Nigeria University students in lecture room

Tinubu Govt Unveils National Laureate Prize to Reward Best Theses

The Federal Government of Nigeria, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has launched the Nigeria National Laureate Annual Prize Programme, a landmark initiative designed to reward outstanding student research across tertiary institutions nationwide. The programme aims to elevate academic excellence, research innovation, and intellectual achievement to the forefront of national recognition.

According to a statement from the Federal Ministry of Education, students whose dissertations and theses demonstrate exceptional scholarly quality and commercial viability will receive significant cash prizes and national recognition. Winners will be celebrated as National Laureates, reflecting the country’s commitment to fostering research-driven development.

The awards are structured as follows:

Undergraduate dissertation winners: ₦5 million
Master’s thesis winners: ₦10 million
Doctoral (PhD) thesis winners: ₦20 million

Announcing the programme, Education Minister Tunji Alausa described it as a strategic national intervention aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s educational incentives. He stressed that the initiative underscores the importance of research as a driver of industrialisation and national development, ensuring that students’ academic efforts are matched with prestige and financial reward.

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“By elevating our students to the status of celebrated National Laureates, we are ensuring that the rigour of research and academic excellence is matched with the highest level of national prestige and financial reward,” Alausa said, adding that theses should be viewed as potential blueprints for national progress, not merely graduation requirements.

The programme will be fully financed by the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) and its strategic partners, ensuring sustainability without additional pressure on public funds. Oversight is provided by a 10-member National Laureate Prize Committee, chaired by Prof. Abubakar Sambo, with representatives from the Nigerian Academy of Sciences, Nigerian Academy of Letters, National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), TETFund, and other academic bodies.

The call for entries will commence in May 2026, with evaluations taking place between June and September, and winners to be honoured at the National Laureate Gala in Abuja in November 2026. The initiative also highlights sustainability and innovation, ensuring that research contributes meaningfully to Nigeria’s knowledge economy.

Officials say the programme encourages students to pursue groundbreaking research that can directly impact policy, technology, and industry, while boosting Nigeria’s global academic reputation.