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Hunger: ‘You’re pushing Nigeria towards anarchy’ – ASUU warns FG
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kano Zone, has cautioned President Bola Tinubu about the alarming rise of anarchy and chaos in the country due to widespread hunger and starvation among Nigerians. The union expressed concern that the government’s embrace of neoliberal policies advocated by the IMF and World Bank would inevitably lead to severe instability and uncertainty.
Dr. Abdulkadir Muhammad, the coordinator of ASUU Kano Zone, conveyed these warnings during an urgent press conference following a zonal meeting comprising seven universities in Kano. At the conference, contentious issues were deliberated upon by the Union.
Muhammad emphasized that as intellectuals, they would not partake in ongoing protests nationwide but instead collaborate with civil society organizations and NGOs to pressure the government into abandoning these detrimental policies. He underscored the determination to employ all lawful means to compel the government to rescind these IMF-World Bank policies, citing the nation’s gradual descent into anarchy amidst the government’s excuses.
Furthermore, ASUU urged President Tinubu’s administration to faithfully execute the terms of the agreement freely entered into with the union, which they deemed as the sole solution to ending strikes in Nigerian universities. Critical components of this agreement include the renegotiation of the Federal Government-ASUU 2009 agreement, which was established when the dollar exchange rate stood at N146.7 but has since surged above N1,700, resulting in a 90% erosion of their salaries.
Muhammad lamented the government’s refusal to endorse a draft agreement reached with the union despite multiple changes in the negotiation committee’s leadership. ASUU therefore implored the Tinubu-led administration to promptly initiate the process of revising and ratifying the renegotiated draft agreement proposed by the Nimi Briggs Committee as a gesture of goodwill to avert industrial unrest and restore confidence in Nigeria’s public universities.
Regarding salary payments, Muhammad confirmed that ASUU members have begun receiving partial payments of their withheld seven-and-a-half-month salaries, urging the government to settle the outstanding balance. Additionally, the Kano zone ASUU called upon the Kaduna State Government to promptly and unconditionally disburse the withheld salaries for May to September 2022 to staff of Kaduna State University.
Among other concerns, the union urged the government to urgently review the Nigeria University Commission (NUC) Act to address the proliferation of universities in the absence of adequate funding provisions.
Dangote Refinery has announced that it will need to export 95-97 percent of its Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) due to low interest from Nigerian marketers. The refinery, which processes 650,000 barrels per day, revealed that only 3 to 5 percent of petrol marketers are purchasing its fuel.
Devakumar Edwin, Vice President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited, shared these details during an X Space session hosted by Nairametrics on Wednesday. He highlighted the challenges facing both the Dangote Refinery and Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Edwin explained, “I’m selling 2 to 3 percent to small traders who are willing to buy, while the remaining 95 to 97 percent has to be exported,” referring to the local sales of the refinery’s products.
This situation arises as the NNPCL’s deadline for adjusting the Dangote Refinery’s fuel distribution approaches without a clear plan in sight. It is worth noting that while Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, has announced the refinery’s initial petrol rollout, its distribution to marketers is contingent upon NNPCL’s decisions.
The final sixteen teams for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia have been determined following the conclusion of the group stage.
In recent matches, Ghana triumphed over New Zealand with a score of 3-1, and Japan secured a 2-0 victory against Austria.
As a result, Japan has advanced to the Round of 16, joining the other 15 teams in this knockout stage.
The Round of 16 matches are scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
The full lineup for the Round of 16 is as follows:
- Spain vs Canada
- Brazil vs Cameroon
- Colombia vs South Korea
- Mexico vs USA
- North Korea vs Austria
- Germany vs Argentina
- Netherlands vs France
- Japan vs Nigeria
The Nigerian Army has refuted claims of widespread resignations among its soldiers due to issues like corruption and low morale.
In a statement, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations, dismissed these reports as unfounded.
A news outlet had alleged that numerous Nigerian soldiers were resigning because of corruption and low morale. However, the statement condemned these allegations as misleading and a deliberate attempt to create discontent and undermine the Nigerian Army’s reputation and the dedication of its personnel.
Major General Nwachukwu clarified that, similar to other military organizations worldwide, service in the Nigerian Army is voluntary rather than mandatory. This means that personnel have the freedom to resign following established procedures.
He explained that the resignation process allows personnel to prepare and manage their entitlements, including pensions and gratuities, as outlined in the Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service (Officers/Soldiers).
Contrary to the report’s implications, the statement emphasized that Nigerian Army personnel are highly motivated, and their welfare is a priority under the leadership of Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja.
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