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Talks with FG panel over strike fruitless – SSANU

Talks with FG panel over strike fruitless – SSANU

The Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has said no tangible achievement was recorded at the Federal Government Renegotiation Panel.

Speaking in an interview with our correspondent on Tuesday, the National Vice-President, SSANU, Dr. Abdussobur Salaam, said the panel met only once with SSANU since it was inaugurated on March 7, 2022.

The Harmattan News had reported that the committee, which was chaired by the Pro-Chancellor of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Emeritus Prof. Nimi Briggs, was given three months to conclude the renegotiation with the four university unions and send the report to Federal Government.

The committee’s timeline ended on Monday.

It is believed that the committee will submit its report to the Federal Government this week or get an extension.

But Salaam explained that the Briggs committee’s engagements with SSANU had been minimal and the timeline was not being adhered to.

He said, “Within the three months timeline, SSANU has only had one meeting with the Briggs renegotiation team. The meeting was held on Friday, April 8, 2022. Today, being June 7, makes it exactly two months ago.

“At the meeting, nothing tangible was put on the table. No offer was made by the government, particularly on improved conditions of service and welfare of our members.

“The government’s side seems not to be sure of itself and groping in the dark as far as its mandate is concerned.

“As of now, we have no reason to express satisfaction because even the paces of the discussions have been too slow. If it has taken two months after the first meeting with SSANU and no meeting has been called, it gives room to doubt the willingness and capacity of the committee to deliver on its mandate.”

He suggested that the panel be properly empowered to take decisions on behalf of the government.

Salaam said, “The Committee should be properly empowered to take decisions on behalf of the government. To be breathed down upon by government officials as the engagements with the committee suggest is not good for confidence building. They should show that they have a mandate to commit on behalf of the government.

“Similarly, the committee appears not to take cognisance of the timelines in the discharge of its assignment. Whatever the bottlenecks militating against the timelines should be removed.

“If we have only had one meeting within the three months timeline with nothing tangible being put on the table, it leaves much to be desired and it is highly unfortunate.”

When our correspondent contacted Briggs on the telephone for reactions on SSANU’s complaints and other issues, he declined comment, saying, “I don’t react to anything on telephone.”

SSANU’s strike started with a warning strike of two weeks which commenced on March 27, 2021, while the extension of another two weeks commenced on Sunday, April 10, 2022.

The union’s demands include the inconsistent issue of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, unpaid earned allowances, and delay in the renegotiation of FGN, NASU, SSANU agreements, and non-payment of minimum wage arrears.

Others include neglect and poor funding of state universities, non-payment of retirement benefits to outgoing members of the unions, and usurpation of the headship of non-teaching units in clear violation of conditions of service and establishment procedures, among others.

 

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Education

Students Loan: Tinubu sends fresh bill to Reps

Less than 48 hours after the federal government announced the indefinite suspension of the student loan scheme, President Bola Tinubu has sent a bill to the National Assembly seeking repeal of the current Act, and passage of a new bill.

President Tinubu, in a letter addressed to Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, said the action was necessary to ensure easy implementation of the scheme.

The existing Act was one of the first legislations signed by Mr Tinubu after his inauguration.

The bill was sponsored by Femi Gbajabiamila, the chief of staff to the president, during his speakership.

However, the government has been struggling with the implementation of the scheme, and has postponed the takeoff of the scheme a couple of times.

In the letter, Mr Tinubu said the new bill seeks to address the “challenges related to the management structure of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELF), applicant eligibility requirements, loan purpose, funding sources and disbursement and repayment procedures.”

Tinubu’s letter:

TRANSMISSION OF STUDENT LOANS (ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION) (REPEAL AND RE-ENACTMENT) BILL, 2024

“Pursuant to Section 58(2) of the Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). I forward, herewith, The Student Loan (Access to Higher Education) (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2024 for the kind consideration of the House of Representatives.

“The Student Loan (Access to Higher Education) (Repeal and Re- Enactment) Bill, 2024 seeks to enhance the implementation of the Higher Education Student Loan Scheme by addressing challenges related to the management structure of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELF), applicant eligibility requirements, loan purpose, funding sources and disbursement and repayment procedures.

“Whilst hoping that this submission will receive the usual expeditious consideration of the House of Representatives, please accept, Rt. Honourable Speaker, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Yours sincerely,

Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

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Education

Student loan scheme suspended for weeks not indefinitely – TETFUND

Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Sonny Echono has said that the student loan scheme was only postponed for a couple of weeks and not indefinitely.

Speaking at the TETFUND headquarters in Abuja following a visit by Governor  Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara state, Echono said the suspension became neccesary to ensure there are no complications in the proper implementation of the scheme and to ensure that the scheme is up to standard.

He said;

“The loan has not been postponed indefinitely, there’s just a little housekeeping that needs to be done, the president has arrangements in place for the launch.

“We are discussing a matter of days, maximum weeks for it to take off. The president is very committed to this, and I can assure you that this is going to be done in the best way.

“We don’t want to hurriedly launch the programme, and there are objections, and it isn’t sustained. We’re making sure that the loan can accommodate as many that need it. Even for people with skills, it’s going to be a game changer. We’re working hand in hand with JAMB, we know when admissions will commence, so we are not far behind.

“In the next couple of weeks, the scheme will take off, and it will accommodate everyone, even students of vocational studies.”

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Education

Ebonyi Govt to upgrade 39 secondary school to model schools

Ebonyi State Government has approved the upgrade of Thirty-Nine (39) Secondary Schools in the State into Model Schools to serve as moral reset factories for the children of the State.

The Commissioner for Information and State Orientation Jude Chikadibia Okpor, disclosed this on Wednesday after the end of the Executive Council Meeting held yesterday.

According to Okpor, the EXCO also approved the introduction of the Spelling Bee, a perimeter survey of public primary and secondary schools in the state to avoid encroachment, which is gradually becoming a recurrent issue in state-owned facilities.

They said” Keeping to the tenets of His Excellency’s People’s Charter of Needs policy, especially in the area of quality education, the EXCO after thorough deliberation, approved the upgrade of thirty-nine (39) Secondary Schools in the state to Model Schools, with each local government allocated three. The schools at completion will not only be citadels of learning but will serve as moral reset factories for Ebonyi children.

“Considering the benefits of spelling drills to the basic stages of educational development, the EXCO approved the introduction of a Spelling Bee for primary and secondary schools.

“The council also approved the perimeter survey of public primary and secondary schools in the state to avoid encroachment, which is gradually becoming a recurrent issue in state-owned facilities,” he said

He further noted that Exco has directed a total seal off of the illegal mining sites to ensure the safety of the lives of the people within the area.

” In a bid to permanently put an end to all illegal mining in Ameka, Ezza South LGA, particularly at Community Primary School, Amajim, the council constituted an EXCO Committee comprising the Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Honourable Commissioners for Solid Minerals, Lands & Survey, Commerce and Industry, Education (primary and secondary), and directed a total seal off of the illegal mining sites, and subsequent establishment of fortified security to ensure safety of lives of the people of the area”.

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