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Varsity strike: Labour shutdown Abuja in solidarity protest

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3 years ago

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• Don’t deny our children quality education, NLC tells FG •NASS to step in

Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and its affiliates unions stormed the National Assembly, yesterday, in solidarity with the trade unions in the public universities – the Academic Staff Union of Universities  (ASUU), the Non-Academic Staff Union of University and Allied Institutions (NASU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) -over the lingering strike in the tertiary institution.

The protesters in large numbers hit the street of Abuja to continue the two-day protest which had earlier held in various states of the federation to push the Federal Government towards ending the month long strike in the university system.

The protest held amidst the shaky security situation of the nation’s capital, attracted huge security presence of the police, the personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to monitor things.

The protesters carried placards with various to drive home their points.

At the ‘Abuja Mega Protest Rally’ which began from the Unity Fountain at about 9:30am, the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, called on the Federal Government not to deny children of the less privileged quality education.

ASUU and other trade unions in the education sector have been on strike for more than five months over alleged failure of government to keep to agreements entered with the unions.

Their demands include non-implementation of 2009 agreement, funding of universities, salaries and earned allowances of lecturers, among others.

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Submitting the unions’ demands list to the law makers, the NLC president condemned the Federal Government for paying lip service to education and the welfare of workers in tertiary institutions and warned that further delay could attract a shutdown of the labour force in an industrial action.

He said most of those at the helm of affairs were beneficiaries of a thriving education sector as they enjoyed free and quality education. He decried the level of hardship and the spate of insecurity in the country, and warned that depriving children of the poor access to quality education would only fuel the insecurity situation of the country. He said government must do the needful to respond effectively and promptly to resolve the issues affecting the education system.

The NLC president noted that over 10 million children in the public institutions, including three sets were waiting for their admission to be sorted out.

“If we denied our children quality education, they will become menace to the society and all of us will be sleeping with our eyes opened, that is a reality and it is a wakeup call.

“Comrades, we must be angry because this is not what we bargained for. We bargained for good government that will listen to us because democracy is all about the people, and you cannot talk of people without quality education. So, that is why we are here. We will continue from here.”

He said the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Colleges of Education, Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, among others had pending issues with the government.

“Those issues are straightforward; some of them are not even monetary policy issues. Yet, our leaders cannot listen to fix those issues.

“It has been promises and those promises have not been kept, we are tired but we are not tired of their antics. We will take our destinies in our own hands and that of our children, which is very important and fundamental,” he said.

ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, bemoaned the ratio of students to lectures in tertiary institutions, which he said was was part of the factors eroding the quality of education in the system.

SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim, said: “These agreements must be respected. Universities must take a universal look. We must have the best of our brains. We must have our teachers, lecturers, members of staff, academic, non-academic, junior, senior security, everybody is important, and therefore, government must rise to the occasion. The issue of IPS is no longer news to you. IPS has made everybody in university community poorer. Registers are paid salaries of cleaners and so on and so forth. What you get today you don’t know what you get tomorrow. And that is why we are challenged. We have come up with our solutions. The UGPPPS is there. The UTAS is there. We are ready to work together. We will give them the best. our students should go back to classrooms. Our hospitals should look decent. “Gentleman, the security has become something else. Our people, lecturers, teachers, everybody, no one is safe in the university community.”

The Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, who was represented by Deputy Majority Leader, Robert Borrofice, promised that the National Assembly would intensify efforts to ensure the issue is addressed.

“There is no country in the world where children of universities will be away from class room for five months. So, we are with you. I confirm the receipt of this letter from the NLC.”

Also, House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, represented by Mohammad Wudil, assured he would to ensure ministers of finance, labour and employment, education as well as all relevant stakeholders are brought together immediately to resolve the contending issues.

Presenting the report of the meeting at the plenary, Wudil said the NLC made a seven-point demand, adding that the engagement with the congress was fruitful.

Sun

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Reps pass bill to strip Vice President, governors, deputies of immunity

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9 hours ago

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March 26, 2025

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House of Representatives

Reps pass bill to strip Vice President, governors, deputies of immunity

The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed for second reading a constitutional amendment bill seeking to remove the immunity conferred on the Vice President, Governors and their Deputies.

The lawmaker said the move is to curb corruption, curb immunity, eradicate impunity and enhance accountability in public office.

The constitutional amendment Bill sponsored by Solomon Bob (PDP, Rivers) reads: “A Bill for an act to alter the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to qualify the immunity conferred on the President, remove the immunity conferred on the Vice President, the Governors and their Deputies, in order to curb corruption, eradicate impunity and enhance accountability in public office and for Related Matters”.

Section 308 of the constitution confers immunity on the President, Vice President, Governors and their deputies, exempting them from criminal and civil prosecution while in office.

The House also passed for second reading, a constitutional amendment Bill to create a constitutional role for traditional rulers, while providing for the recognition of the advisory role for them in the constitution.

The two bills are part of the 42 on devolution of power, strengthening of institutions, state creation, traditional rulers citizenship, fundamental rights and objectives and local government passed by the House.

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On Tuesday, the House passed 39 constitutional alteration bills for second reading.

While passing a bill to provide for stronger measures and checks for the sustenance of autonomy of local government system in the country, it also passed for second reading another constitutional alteration bill seeking to remove local government as a tier of government constitutionally recognised and funded by the Federal Government.

The second bill sponsored by Solomon Bob (PDP, Rivers) seeks to vest the creation and funding of local government on the states.

The House is also seeking to amend the constitution to review the framework for local government administration, establish a robust legal legal regime to strengthen administrative efficiency, promote transparency, accountability and deepen democratic practice in the local government.

On state creation, The Nation observed that a bill for the creation of Etiti State from the five South eastern States was again read for the second time even though similar bill was passed for second reading.

The bill for the creation of Etiti state sponsored by Amobi Ogah and four others was first passed for first reading on the July 11,  2025 while a second bill on the same subject matter sponsored by Deputy Minority Whip, George Ozodinobi was listed and passed for second reading on Tuesday.

Reps pass bill to strip Vice President, governors, deputies of immunity

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Businessman collapses in court during trial over $578,000 cash seizure

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9 hours ago

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March 26, 2025

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Businessman collapses in court during trial over $578,000 cash seizure

A businessman, Okorie Sunday, who was arrested on March 19 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, with $578,000 in cash, collapsed in court during his trial on Wednesday, March 26.

Okorie appeared before the Federal High Court in Lagos, where his trial commenced at 8:30 AM. However, he collapsed just as the court registrar was about to re-read the charges against him.

Court officials and security personnel rushed to his aid, and proceedings were briefly halted.

Previously on Tuesday, Okorie had been arraigned in court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on four counts related to money laundering and a currency scam.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment before Justice Deinde Dipeolu.

After a brief agreement from both parties for a swift trial, Okorie was remanded in custody and the case was adjourned to Wednesday.

During the resumed hearing on Wednesday, Okorie’s lawyer, Uche Okoronkwo, informed the court that his client wished to change his plea from not guilty to guilty.

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The EFCC’s counsel, Chineye Okezie, confirmed that Okorie indeed wanted to plead guilty to the first two counts, and requested the withdrawal of the third and fourth counts. Justice Dipeolu agreed to the request and directed that the charges be re-read.

However, as the registrar began to read the charges, Okorie collapsed without warning. His wife and daughter, who were present in the courtroom, were visibly distraught, with both of them breaking into tears.

At the time of writing this report, Okorie had been rushed to a hospital for medical attention, and the proceedings were temporarily halted.

The arrest took place when Okorie arrived in Lagos from Johannesburg aboard South African Airways Flight SA60 on March 19.

Initially, he declared only $279,000 at the airport’s currency declaration desk. However, a routine search revealed an additional $299,000 concealed in multiple packages, bringing the total sum to $578,000.

Authorities also discovered €100 and a counterfeit $250 note among the undeclared funds.

The EFCC charged Okorie with violating Sections 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and Sections 3(1)(a), 5(1)(b), and (2) of the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provisions) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Businessman collapses in court during trial over $578,000 cash seizure

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Fire guts Onitsha market, many shops, goods destroyed

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9 hours ago

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March 26, 2025

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Fire guts Onitsha market, many shops, goods destroyed

A night fire at the popular Iweka Road, near Ochanja market in Onitsha, Anambra State, destroyed shops and products worth millions of naira.

Our correspondent reported that the fire, which erupted at 8.30 p.m. on Tuesday, destroyed many shops, reducing products and property to ashes.

Although the source of the fire has yet to be determined, it was said that it raged for several minutes before firefighters arrived, as some of the dealers had gone home.

Confirming the fire incident on Wednesday, the Anambra State Fire Service’s Media and Publicity Unit, commanded by state fire chief Chukwudi Chiketa, said it received a distress call at around 9.40 p.m. and quickly dispatched a crew of firefighters and firefighting equipment to the location.

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Chiketa said, “Anambra State Fire Service at about 9.40pm on Tuesday, March 25, received a distress call about a raging fire outbreak at the popular Iweka Road, close to Ochanja Market, Onitsha.

“Immediately, a crew of firemen and firefighting equipment was deployed to the scene of the fire outbreak. They fought gallantly and contained the incident, stopping the fire from further escalation.

“The incident affected four shops, and many others were saved in a two-storey building. These shops contained furniture materials such as leather, foam and others.

“The cause of the fire outbreak has not been ascertained. The crew of firemen withdrew from the incident’s scene at 03:05 (3.05am) of the next day, Wednesday 26th March.”

 

Fire guts Onitsha market, many shops, goods destroyed

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