Ekiti Workers Strike Over Unpaid Salaries

Workers in Ekiti have began indefinite strike over two months unpaid salaries and allowances by the outgoing Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

Organised Labour Unions, under the leadership of Joint Negotiating Council, also criticised the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the State for not protecting the interest of workers.

Addressing journalists in Ado Ekiti, the JNC Chairman, Comrade Oladipupo Johnson, said the August and September salaries had not been paid.

He also said June and July deductions from the workers salaries had not been remitted by the government.

Johnson said, “It is unfortunate to note that in spite of the pronouncement  and promises from top government functionaries, there seem to be no light at the end of the tunnel. Sequel to the following, the workers of the public service had met and directed that no worker should come to work today, October 2, 2014 and this subsists until all conditions are met.

“And any worker who refuses to obey this simple directive does so at his or her own risk since the leaders would not take responsibility for anything that happens.”

Johnson, who said the council had been in dialogue with the Governor in the last three months to resolving the issue, expressed surprise that the workers were not paid even after government received two allocations.

“We don’t want to stay back and allow our people to be dying on the streets because we are gradually becoming beggars. The Government  has not paid  salaries in the last two months, that is why we ask them to be at home and look for alternative way of existence .

“They are owing full salaries  for August and September and 60 percent deductions in the June and July Salaries. And going by evidence we had, the Governor had collected two allocations without remembering that these salaries should be paid.

“We have met with the Head of Service, the Accountant General and other relevant people and what they agreed was that the salaries  will be paid by October 1, 2014.

“But I want to assure you that the workers  will resume to work as soon as the two months salaries are paid as well as the June and July deductions.”

VC Charges Stakeholders On UNN Growth

VICE Chancellor of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Prof Benjamin Chukwuma Ozumba has called for collaborative efforts of stakeholders to enable the institution realize the dreams of her founding fathers.

He stated that though the institution has in the last 54 years contributed in the development of the country through research, development as well as producing some best brains, it must do more to

ensure that certain challenges confronting the country were overcome.

Presenting his first Founders Day celebration address in Enugu yesterday, Ozumba, who was recently appointed the 14th Vice Chancellor of the school, said that staff  and student welfare, environment and campus aesthetics, academic leadership and research, academic discipline and ethics remained his  priority.

  “My agenda is to provide the university of Nigeria the leadership needed to become an academic giant and pace-setter in the quality of its successful research, the level of its innovative teaching and the robustness of its community service among universities in the developing countries”, he said.

He stated that the Founder’s Day celebration was to call to mind the dreams of the founders of the university, stressing that it would offer his administration the opportunity to review the progress so far made and areas of improvement.

Ozumba, said his administration was abreast with challenges facing the university and has constituted a committee to address them.

He said that the committee tagged ‘welfare committee’ would tackle grievances that had affected the process  of development of the institution.

  He announced at the briefing that water had been restored at the Enugu campus of the institution more than 15years after it was disrupted.

On student’s welfare, he promised the provision of better wifi services to enable them access to internet, provision of laptops at subsidized rate as well as work with the Students Union Government (SUG) to achieve set goals.

Nigeria University Lecturers (ASUU) Commence Indefinite Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) resumed yesterday the industrial action it suspended in January 2011 following the federal government’s failure to implement the agreement it reached with the lecturers.

ASUU’s National President, Dr. Nasir Isa on Monday, said the industrial action though painful would be total, comprehensive, total and indefinite and last for as long as the federal government implements details of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) both parties signed in 2011.

He said that the decision to have the strike was reached at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of ASUU held at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye.

He said that the action was as a result of the inability of the federal government to implement some of the

NUC commends Bello's appointment

Prof. Julius Okojie

The National Universities Commission on Sunday described the appointment of Prof. Rahamon Bello, as the 11th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos as a welcome development.

The Governing Council at its special meeting held on November 10 unanimously adopted the report of the selection board that Bello be appointed as the new vice-chancellor of the university.

The appointment, which is to take effect from November 12, is for a period of five years.

Bello, a professor of Chemical Engineering, had been acting as vice-chancellor of the university, since May 12, following the death of Prof. Adetokumbo Sofoluwe.

The Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof. Julius Okojie, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the appointment of Bello was well deserved having worked closely with Sofoluwe, as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

According to him, it is expected that Bello will continue with the legacies laid by Sofoluwe in order to actualise the lofty dreams of the university’s mission and vision.

The NUC boss noted that the university had a vibrant governing council, headed by Mr. Gamaliel Onosode, and therefore, the choice of having Bello as the vice-chancellor was well thought out.

culled from Osun Defender

Governing council confirms Prof Rahamon as Unilag VC

Professor Rahamon Adisa Bello

The governing council of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has announced the appointment of Professor Rahamon Adisa Bello, a Professor of Chemical Engineering as the 11th Vice-Chancellor of the university.