Education

Withheld salary arrears: Buhari transferring crisis in Nigerian varsities to incoming administration — NLC

Published

4 months ago

May 26, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said President Muhammadu Buhari will be transferring the crisis in the university system to the incoming administration by refusing to pay the withheld salaries of university unions.

The Congress directed the four university-based unions which included the; the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities; the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Education Institutions and the National Association of Academic Technologists to meet and revert to the NLC on the withheld salary backlogs.

President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero said this during a visit to the headquarters of SSANU on Wednesday in Abuja.

This is as the SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim appealed to President Buhari to pay the withheld salaries of its members before handing over on May 29.

The university unions went on strike last year which lasted between four to nine months.

In return, the Federal Government invoked the No work No pay policy for the duration the strike lasted.

Ajaero said: “The federal government is making a mistake by not paying those arrears of salaries. That is part of the crisis they (Buhari’s administration) are transferring to the incoming government and they must face it. There is no way you will say no work no pay when you are the cause of the No work. You can’t benefit from your inadequacy.

“If we accept that that will be the end of industrial relations and we should also be conscious of precedence in law; that precedence cannot stand.

“I want to plead with you that the unions in the education sector should meet and send us a memo in NLC. We are going to call national action for the payment of arrears of withheld salaries.

“We have waited enough for the Nigerian state to retrace its steps. It is bad enough to owe people for three to five months as a punitive measure for an agreement the government failed to obey and still boasting.

“If the unions could get across to us, all the sectors- electricity, oil and gas; we will start a solidarity action until the federal government takes responsibility for its inaction. This is not a threat because we are not known for issuing threats.

“The federal government must respect the sanctity of its agreement and we must insist on it. The unions should not waste time on this. We need to do it as soon as possible.

“We are on a course to return the NLC as a fighting organisation; to be proactive. If we allow eight months (of withheld salary arrears) to pass then that’s the end of this movement.

Ibrahim lamented the failure of the federal government to release the N100 billion for teaching and non-teaching staff of universities.

“Even the N100bn meant to pay for the salaries of all university staff – academic and non-academic. Till date, we have not seen anything. And this government is exiting soon.

“We went on strike for four months in 2022 and our salaries were stopped in the process. We followed due process, we sought the audience of the minister of Labour and Employment for the renegotiation of our agreement.

“Even if it is the last thing this government does before exiting office, let them release the salaries of teaching and non-teaching staff of universities. Because we have suffered and lost our members because they couldn’t access their money.

“Mr president we plead with you as a father not to leave behind the backlog of unpaid salaries of teaching and non-teaching staff.”

Education

Anxiety as UNIZIK panel suspends, dismisses three lectures, 15 others

Published

2 days ago

September 24, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

• UNIZIK Awka

Tension has gripped the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra state, as a panel recommended the dismissal, suspension, and expulsion of more than 14 individuals, including both staff and students, for various offences.

The implicated individuals comprise a Priest and three lecturers, with additional students facing expulsion for offences like aiding and abetting.

This information was disclosed in an official release signed by Dr Emmanuel Ojukwu, the special adviser to the Vice Chancellor for Public Relations and Special Duties, and provided to journalists in Awka on Sunday, September 24.

Recall that the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Charles Esimone, has been grappling with a major challenge related to sexual harassment, extortion, and various transgressions within the University.

Three lecturers were accused of extorting funds from students who successfully completed their courses, and employing fellow students to carry out these malevolent acts.

“The Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka has taken disciplinary actions against the following staff and students for various offences.

“Principal Executive Officer 11, abandoned his duty post for a considerable length of time. As a result, he was indicted for gross misconduct and suspended from duty for six months to serve as a deterrent to other officers

“Senior Executive Officer was indicted for fraudulent financial transaction concerning the University. She was suspended for six months on half salary” the Varsity said

The Reverend priest and another were both accused of aiding and abetting examination misconduct after collecting gratification from students.

One of the lecturers was indicted for clearing and graduating a student, who had 12 outstanding courses.

The panel recommended that he should be dismissed from the services of the University, while the result should be withdrawn and further credentials such as Certificates and Transcripts should not be issued.

Education

IMT must reclaim its past glory, Gov. Mbah vows as Panel of Inquiry submits report

Published

2 weeks ago

September 12, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has reiterated the determination of his administration to return the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu to its past glory.

Mbah stated this at the Government House, Enugu, while receiving the report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Accounts, Management Practices and Staff Conduct in the institute, which the government set up in August.

The Governor was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, who said the report of the Committee would serve as one of the pillars for the planned reforms in the institution and across all levels of education in the state.

“It is important to state that the essence of this Committee was initially misconstrued, but His Excellency was very clear on what he wants to see in the education sector and it ranges from what happens at the elementary all the way to the tertiary levels.

“This is the first of many processes like this, to make sure that the IMT, which is also a historical institute of excellence, is restored to its glory. But we do not want to speak to the issues subjectively. That was why this Committee was set up to provide guidance for the government to start the process of reform using the empirical data.

“What we want is for IMT to return to its old glory both from the governance point of view and also from the selection point of view and the quality of faculty that is there.

“Faculty quality is very important so that the graduating students are able to meet the level of performance to be competitive locally and globally.

“The IMT was set up with the level of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US. So, the fact that we have retrogressed over the years should be a thing of concern to every citizen of Enugu State and every parent that hopes that his or her child passes through IMT as a higher institution of education.

“So, I am very happy that you did not just submit a report, but you also submitted a report with evidence to back up every assertion made here. I have not read this report, but I am confident that for you to have brought this report and also brought a pile of evidence to back up every thing that you have said, allows us to verify some of the things here before we start to implement them.

“The governor is determined that as we begin to work on IMT, to change the governance process and address some of the key recommendations here, this report becomes a guidance to other higher institutions in Enugu State”.

Meanwhile, speaking at the event, Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Edd Nwobodo, thanked the Dr. Peter Mbah administration for the steps taken and for finding them worthy to carry out the job.

Also throwing more light on their work after the presentation, Prof. Nwobodo told newsmen that the Committee’s work was essentially centred on pillars of reforms needed at the IMT.

“It is a reform-bias type of work essentially to get things done the right way. It was basically to ask the necessary questions, look at the systems, practices, and consequences for the manifestation of those systems”, he said.

Recall that the Enugu State Government set up the Committee in August to evaluate the legal and policy framework underpinning the constitution of the Business Committee and thoroughly analyse the various categories of fees charged to students, investigating the methods of payment, designated accounts for transactions, and the overall management of fee-related processes.

The Committee was also mandated to assess the degree of adherence to pertinent laws, regulations, and institutional policies in the selection and appointment of staff members, particularly those occupying key positions such as Heads of Department, Deputy Rector, among others; identify and scrutinise all streams of revenue generation for the institution, delving into the mechanisms for revenue collection, proper accounting practices for remittances, and the overall management of these financial resources.

They were also to investigate any instances of undue financial demands imposed on students either by lecturers or the administrative body, regardless of the pretext used; explore any other relevant areas that may emerge in the course of addressing the aforementioned issues: and to conduct a comprehensive examination leading to well-founded conclusions and recommendations concerning the matters outlined.

Education

Gov Mbah inaugurates 8-man investigative panel on IMT

Published

1 month ago

August 21, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

The IMT Enugu

Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, has inaugurated an eight-man committee to look into the affairs of the state-owned polytechnic, Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu.

The probe panel tagged Committee of Inquiry into the Accounts, Management Practices and Staff Conduct, has Prof. Ed Nwobodo as the Chairman and Chinenye Angela as Secretary, while Osita Onuma, Dr Ada Nwonye, Barr. Lilian Ikwueze, Amb. Judy Nweke, Dr. Moses Otiji, and Vincent Onyeabor were named as members.

Inaugurating the Committee at the Government House, Enugu, Monday, Governor Mbah said the Committee was constituted to ensure there is a level of credibility in the institution, expressing confidence in the capacity of the leadership and members of Committee to deliver on their mandate.

The Governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, reminded the Committee that the State was counting on their experience to do a credible job.

“The work you are going to do will set a new course for that institution and for the rest of the action the government will take in the Higher Education space in Enugu state”, he stated.

He said the Committee’s terms and reference were to evaluate the legal and policy framework underpinning the constitution of the Business Committee and thoroughly analyse the various categories of fees charged to students, investigating the methods of payment, designated accounts for transactions, and the overall management of fee-related processes.

They are also to investigate any instances of undue financial demands imposed on students either by lecturers or the administrative body, regardless of the pretext used; explore any other relevant areas that may emerge in the course of addressing the aforementioned issues: and to conduct a comprehensive examination leading to well-founded conclusions and recommendations concerning the matters outlined.

Responding on behalf of other members, Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Nwobodo thanked Governor Mbah for the opportunity given to them to serve, and assured that the Committee would acquit itself creditably.

“I am confident that this Committee is going to do a thorough job, such that we should in the next years, look back and say that this was good.

“We are bound to do a good job and I am confident that the men and women you have selected, will do a good job”, Nwobodo said.

The Committee has two weeks to submit its reports.