Author: hilaryakalugwu

Ultimatum: ASUU urges Nigerians to prevail on FG for agreement implementation

ASUU
By Hilary Akalugwu
Nsukka (Enugu State) June 27, 2024 (NAN) The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) chapter, has urged Nigerians to prevail on government to do the needful before the expiration of the 21 days ultimatum.
The Chairman of UNN-ASUU chapter, Comrade Oyibo Eze, made the call at the end of its Congress and peaceful protest at the university campus in Nsukka on Thursday.
While handing over the protest letter to Prof Romanus Ezeokonkwo, the Ag Vice-chancellor of UNN, Eze said the protest was not against UNN but against the Federal Government who had failed to implement agreements reached with ASUU since 2009.
“This protest march is to create awareness and urge Nigerians to prevail on the government to do the needful before the expiration of the 21 days ultimatum.
“UNN-ASUU has agreed in the congress to support the nationwide indefinite strike if government fails to do the needful,” he said.
He said the aim of the congress was to get members opinion on 21 days ultimatum given to Federal Government by ASUU National Leadership to address the union’s demands since 2009 or risk nationwide indefinite strike.
“I thank you all for speaking in one voice to support nationwide strike at the expiration of the 21 days ultimatium.
“It’s unfortunate that all the agreements the Federal Government signed with ASUU since 2009 have not been implemented.
“This congress resolution is that if after 21 days and government fails to implement all agreements entered with ASUU since 2009, national leadership should proceed on indefinite nationwide strike.
“Members in this congress say enough is enough of government insincerity in redeeming the agreements it signed since 2009,” he said
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that after the congress members carried out a peaceful protest from the Faculty of Social Sciences in UNN to the Main Gate and ended at the Administrative Building where the union handed over a protest letter to the UNN Ag Vice-chancellor.
Some of the placards carried by the ASUU protesters have these inscriptions; “Kill Education, kill the Nation,” “Nigeria lecturers are the least paid globally,” Government should honour agreement with ASUU since 2009 It is a moral question,”
Others were “Government stop forcing ASUU to embark on strike,” “Government don’t kill university education in Nigeria” among others.
Responding, Ezeokonkwo , who was represented by Prof Johnson Urama, the Deputy Vice-chancellor Academic commended the union for the peaceful protest.
The Ag VC lauded the various interventions by ASUU national leader through agitations that had gone a long way in improving infrastructures, teaching and learning in public universities.
“I commend you for this peaceful protest in urging the government to implement all the demands with ASUU since 2009,” he said.
It will be recalled that ASUU had recently in its 21 days ultimatium charged the Federal Government to meet its demands bothering on the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU/FGN agreement.
Other demands included poor funding of the universities, breach of university autonomy, particularly through the Integrated Personal Payment Information System (IPPIS).
Non-payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) and nonpayment of withheld salaries among others. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
HOA/MNA
Edited by Maureen Atuonwu
June 27, 2024
Nsukka residents groan as price of egg soars
Nsukka residents groan as price of egg soars
Egg
By Hilary Akalugwu
Nsukka (Enugu State) June 20,2024(NAN) Some residents of Nsukka, in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State have lamented the high cost of eggs, making it beyond their reach.
The residents expressed their views in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Nsukka while reacting to the present market price of a crate of egg that goes for N5,000.
Mrs Stella Nduka, a housewife said for some time now her children have not been able to eat egg because of its high cost.
“The present situation where one egg sells for N200 and a crate of egg sells at N5,000 is worrisome.
“Before, I usually used egg to cook noodles for my children but now I can’t afford it because of its high cost.
“My customer in Ogige Market Nsukka says the fault is not from the sellers as they sell according to how they buy from the poultry farms.
“My customer says presently he buys a crate at N4,500 from the poultry farms and sells a crate at N5,000,”she said.
Mr Jude Ugwuoke, who has a fast food joint at Aku Road, Nsukka decried the high cost of egg, which he said had adversely affected his business.
“Before, I was preparing one packet of noodles
with two eggs for my customers at N1,200 but because of the high cost of eggs it is now N1,500.
“I am losing many customers because my customers are complaining that the N1,500 is too much as only few now patronise me.
“Government should intervene before my business closes, by January this year, the cost of an egg crate was between N2000 and N2,200, ” he said.
Mrs Juliet Onah, who sells eggs together with other food items in Ogige market Nsukka food section, said the sellers should not be blamed on the present hike on egg price as they sell according to how they bought the commodity .
“I buy eggs from poultry farms, I bought these eggs on Tuesday this week and I bought a crate at the price of N4,500 and resold at N5,000.
“You can see my gain is only N500 in spite of the transport I paid to go buy the eggs.
“In January this year, we sold an egg crate at N2,000 while the retailers sold one egg at N100, I don’t understand the type of inflation in this country,” she said.
Mr Ernest Ugwu a poultry farmer attributed the high price of eggs to the high prices of chicken feeds.
Ugwu said that the only thing that would bring down the price of eggs was for the government to subsidise the ingredients used in producing feed.
“If a poultry farmer buys feed at a high price to grow the chickens that lay the eggs, he/she will sell the eggs to cover the production cost as well as make a little gain that will enable him/her to remain in business.
“No businessman or woman in the world will like to record losses rather to make profit so as to remain in business, ” Ugwu said (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
HOA/BRM
===========
Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani
June 20, 2024
Prof Ezeokonkwo emerges acting VC of UNN
Election
By Hilary Akalugwu
Nsukka (Enugu State) June 7, 2024 (NAN) Prof Romanus Ezeokonkwo, the incumbent Deputy Vice-chancellor, Administration at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) has been elected as the Acting Vice-chancellor of the university.
Chief Okwun Omeaku, the Public Relations Officer of the university made the disclosure in a statement issued at the end of the 422nd session of the Senate in Nsukka on Friday
He said that Ezeokonkwo won by 200 votes in the election conducted by the senate at its session on Friday.
According to him, Ezeokonkwo defeated Prof Johnson Urama, Deputy Vice-chancellor Academic UNN and Prof Daniel Nwachukwu, the Deputy Vice-chancellor, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC).
“Ezeokonkwo scored 200 votes to defeat Urama and Nwachukwu who scored 180 and 25 votes repectiviely,” he said.
The PRO noted that the position of the vice chancellor became vacant following the end of the tenure of Prof Charles Igwe, whose five year-tenure would end on June 10. (NAN) (www.nannews.com)
HOA/MNA
Edited by Maureen Atuonwu
June 7, 2024