Author: premier radio premier radio

NASU lauds FG’s war against insurgency

NAN-H-117
NASU
By Olayinka Olawale
Lagos, Sept. 21, 2016 (NAN)‎ The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration on its successful fight against insurgency.

The union gave the commendation in a communiqué issued at the end of its two-day National Executive Council meeting in Abuja.

The communiqué, signed by Mr Chris Ani and Mr Peters Adeyemi, the National President and General Secretary respectively, was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.

It, however, urged the president to quickly address other challenges confronting the nation’s economy.

It congratulated the Armed Forces for their gallantry and sacrifices for the nation.

The union, however, expressed concern over the incidences of kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, internet fraud, activities of herdsmen and the emerging trend of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Niger Delta militancy.

It urged the president to handle these emerging trends with utmost care and diplomacy rather than the sole use of military option.

“We call on all Nigerians to take the issue of insecurity as very important and should synergise with the security agencies in tackling the menace in the interest of our corporate existence,” it said.

The union lamented the inability of about 27 state governments to pay their workers’ salaries running into several months.

According to NASU, payment of salaries is a statutory obligation, which must be fulfilled.

“It is disturbing that the bailout funds, released by Federal Government to state governors for the purpose of clearing the arrears of salaries, were diverted to other purposes.

“In the spirit of the fight against corruption, we urged President Buhari to investigate all those involved in this heinous crime and bring them to book.

“The economic recession is biting harder on workers and, therefore, demands the immediate payment of all outstanding salaries to workers.

“We call on state governors, who are not able to fulfill this obligation to workers, to resign.

“In sympathy with the plight of workers, NASU affirms its support for NLC’s position of `No Pay, No Work’,’’ the communiqué read in part.

It condemned inadequate funding of the education sector over the years despite agitations by relevant stakeholders.

NASU recalled that the last administration released an intervention fund of N200 billion in 2014 to the universities for critical infrastructures with a promise to thereafter release N100 billion for two consecutive years but reneged on the promise.

It, therefore, appealed to the present administration to adopt and fulfill this promise for improved funding.

The union also examined the state of nation’s economy and concluded that the economy had gone into avoidable recession due to a number of factors.

The factors included lack of proper coordination and unsteady economic and fiscal policies of the federal government.

It, therefore, urged the government to fine tune these policies with a view to urgently take the economy out of recession.

The union also urged the federal government to immediately remit all outstanding pension deductions, the contributions of the government and accrued interest into the retirement savings accounts of all federal employees without further delays.

NASU also condemned the recent agitation by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) for an increase in the pump price of petrol.

It views the proposal as provocative, inhuman, unjust and unacceptable.

The union aligns itself with the position of the NLC in opposing any attempt to further increase the pump price of petrol.

It expressed concern at the increasing level of unemployment and the dimming hope for positive improvement, in spite of continued promises of job creation by successive governments.

It called on government at all levels to address the issue of unemployment of the youths to avert their being engaged in social vices.

It expressed concern that the mere campaign of diversification to agriculture and solid mineral exploitation without concrete action and workable framework could worsen the situation.

The union, therefore, resolved that the government should urgently put workable framework in place to actualise diversification of our economy.

It also decried the high cost of governance and the extravagant lifestyles of political office holders which did not reflect the current economic realities in Nigeria.

“We, therefore, demands for the immediate reduction in the cost of governance in the area of security votes, over bloated political appointees, excessive political travels and the use of chartered private jets,’’ the union resolved. (NAN)
OOG/AIB/AFA
Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Felix Ajide
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NAN-H-71
Commitment
By Olayinka Olawale
Lagos, Sept. 19, 2016 (NAN) The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board on Monday urged teachers in public primary schools to rededicate themselves to the service of humanity in the new academic session.

The Executive Chairman of the board, Dr Ganiyu Sopeyin, said in a statement in Lagos that teachers needed to redouble their efforts in the best interest of their pupils.

Welcoming the teachers and pupils to schools after the long holiday, Sopeyin said that the present administration had taken many steps to improve the standard of education in the state.

He said that the government would not relent in continued efforts to provide a conducive environment for both teachers and pupils to ensure improved teaching and learning.

Sopeyin urged students, who were successful in the state placement test, to resume at their schools of posting promptly.

He said that the placement lists had been released to Tutor Generals/Permanent Secretaries in all the six Education Districts in the state.

Sopeyin appealed to parents to check names of the wards in their respective districts.

The chairman explained that for school children to be successful in life they must take education very seriously.

According to him, education is a ladder toward attaining success in life.

“At every stage of one’s life, education plays important role; therefore, our wards must be  educated,’’ he said.

The chairman assured teachers of the continuous support of the government toward developing education in the state.

He urged them to reciprocate government’s gesture by being productive in their line of duties. (NAN)
OOG/AIB/AJA
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(Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde and controlled by Adeleye Ajayi)

NAN-H-30

Resumption

By Stellamaris Ashinze & Rukayat Adeyemi

Lagos, Sept. 18, 2016 (NAN) As schools resume for new academic session, traders in Lagos are lamenting low patronage of schooling items by parents, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

NAN reports that dealers in books, shoes, bags, uniforms and other items are complaining about that buyers are not coming as expected.

They told NAN in separate interviews that the patronage was not impressive compare to previous times when schools resume for new session.

Mrs Chinonso Shina, who runs Shina Bookshop at Moshalasi,Alagbado, said that the patronage was not as impressive as before.

Shina attributed this lull to the country’s economic recession, but added that many of the textbooks on demands were not available.

“The publishers are complaining about high cost of material and papers, prompting them to reduce the quantity published.

“Some are not even publishing at all and as such, some of the books requested for are not available,’’ Shina said.

Miss Benedicta Osuagwu, a schoolbags dealer, also complained about poor sales.

According to her, even when children still have good school bags, parents are in the habit of buying new ones for the new session.

“That is not the same now, it is as if they are now cutting cost.

“I approached my customers to ask if I should bring some bags for their children, many of them said the old ones were still in good condition,’’ Osuagwu said.

A parent, Mr Adbulrahman Onikoyi, said his plight was about the increase in tuition fees by schools.

Onikoyi told NAN that the schools were given excuses about the current inflation in the country as the reason for the increase.

“I taught of changing my children’s school to cheaper ones, but by my investigation, they too have increased their fees.

“If I have to register them in a new school, I will even spend more‎ on registration, uniforms and other things.

“I think the government should come to our rescue and regulate fees being charged by these private schools,’’ he said.

A mother, Mrs Florence Ajayi, told NAN that she only managed to buy some core textbooks for her children and forego other school items because “the prices were outrageous’’.

Ajayi said items like school bags, sandals, socks, lunch bag ‎and boxes were among those things she could not afford now.

“I decided to assemble the old items the children used last term and clean them up for use in the new session because there is no money to buy new ones,’’ Ajayi said.

Another parent, Mr Bola Makinde, described school resumption as a period to incur compulsory expenses.

Makinde said that buying books were compulsory but one need to prioritise buying for core subjects, leaving those that were not so compulsory.

“I bought a dozen of 60 leaves for N850 as against N500 and six higher Education notebook for N800 as against N500.

“These are essential learning materials the children need,’’ Makinde said.

He, however, said that other expenses on shoes and bags could be avoided if the old ones were still in good condition.

A trader in Odumota‎ market at dopemu, Lagos, Mrs Titilope Gold, said traders were not responsible for the hike in price of school items, adding: “we sell according to how we buy”.

`According to her, things are very expensive from the manufacturers as they all complain about high exchange rate.

“Even we, the sellers, are not happy with the hike in prices of virtually all items in the market, just as the buyers are complaining,’’ Gold said. (NAN)

SKA/RUKY/AIB/OFN

(Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde//Felix Nwadioha)

NAN-H-66

Picketing

By Chinyere Bassey

Lagos, Sept. 16, 2016 (NAN) The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) on Friday protested over non-payment of workers’ salaries in two Federal Government Colleges in Lagos and Ondo States.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the colleges are the Kings College, Lagos and the Federal Government College, Idoani, Ondo State.

Mr Alade Lawal, the Secretary General of the ASCSN told NAN in Lagos that union officials would ensure that education officers in the schools do not resume for work.

NAN reports that the union had earlier cautioned parents and guardians not to release their children and wards to resume classes in the affected schools.

According to Lawal, the ultimatum given to the government, to pay the workers’ salary, expired on Thursday.

He, however, said that as at that day, government had not responded,

“Until government responds to our demands, the workers will not be allowed to operate,’’ the secretary said.

Lawal had called on the government to take urgent steps toward paying the salary of education officers outstanding since May 2016 in the schools.

“Education officers in the schools will not resume classes on Thursday, Sept. 15 unless salary owed them since May were paid by Wednesday, Sept. 14.

“Since May officers in King’s College and Federal Government College, Idoani, have been put in financial embarrassment in violation of Public Service Rules.

“We are afraid that the decision, not to pay the salaries, may extend to other schools if there is no resistance from the workers and their Trade Unions.

“This is also worrisome because the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Budget Office have continued to shift blames on the matter,’’ Lawal had said.

The secretary said that the other 102 colleges have been mobilised to join the strike, if the government still refused to pay the officers in the two schools, saying, “injury to one is injury to all.’’

He said that the association was still battling to ensure that arrears of salaries and allowances, owed by the last administration to some categories of officers, are settled.

Lawal appealed to the government to reduce the hardship facing the workers due to poor take home pay by paying them without further delay.

“The welfare of citizens should be among government priorities,’’ he said.

He, therefore, urged the government to pay the workers to douse tension that had started to build up in all the 104 unity colleges over the issue. (NAN)
CHIN/AIB/AFA
Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Felix Ajide
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