NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

ASUU embarks on indefinite strike in Taraba varsity

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By Gabriel Yough

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU) Taraba State University Chapter, on Tuesday declared an indefinite strike after its meeting.

The chapter Chairman, Dr Samuel Shikaa, said this while addressing journalists shortly after the meeting.

Shikaa said the union resolved to embark on the industrial action to demand compliance to an agreement the state government and the university management signed with the union.

He listed some of their demands to include, the commencement of their contributory pension scheme, prompt payment of their Earned Academic Allowance( EAA), among others.

“Taraba State University has no pension arrangement and you can quote me anywhere.

“Families of some of our colleagues that have died only received paltry sums for burial rites which to us are not terminal benefits.

“And to some others who left this institution to other universities, they have nothing to benefit.

“Our members are ready to commence deduction from their take home for the contributory pension scheme but we also want government’s commitment that their percentage of the contribution will be honoured.

“The EAA allowance for excess workload since 2013 has accumulated and has not been paid,” he said.

Responding, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Vincent Tenebe, said 75 per cent of the demands by members of ASUU had been met.

Tenebe explained that the strike was unnecessary and urged members of the union to call off their demonstration for the sake of the students, while they continued negotiation with the management of the institution.

He also dismissed claims that the government was not ready to comply with its part payment to the contributory pension scheme.

“Ever since the MoU was signed with ASUU, the management and government went into action and I can tell you that 75 per cent of their demands have been met.

“ASUU has been demanding the commencement of the contributory pension scheme and when I came in as Vice-Chancellor in 2017, they brought up this demand which was part of the MoA.

“I went further to present a memo to the governing council of this university in 2018 and the council acting as an independent body and regarded as the sole employer of labour in universities by government regulation, approved that we can start that contributory pension scheme.

“This means that every member of staff that keys into this pension scheme will contribute 7.5 per cent of his basic salary while the government will also contribute 7.5 per cent which will be sent to the administrator of a pension for saving till when the employee retires.

“After that approval, I informed all the members of staff of this university through a circular that the governing council has approved the commencement of the pension scheme and we went further to appoint a desk officer from the registry for the pension scheme.

“We also invited some pension administrators who came to create awareness and also did some marketing of their companies to staff for them to fill their forms and submit to the school management for the commencement of the pensions scheme.

“Since 2018, they have failed to produce their pension administrators and their account numbers for management to utilise and in fact, this university wanted to be used as a role model for other institutions in this state,” he said. (NAN)

Our abductors threatened to kill, fry, eat us – Jangebe abductee

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By Abubakar Ahmed

One of the victims of last Friday’s Zamfara Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, abduction, Hafsat Anka, said the captives threatened to kill, fry and eat them if they misbehaved.

Hafsat, while narrating her ordeal to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Government House, Gusau, shortly after regaining freedom, stated that they trekked over a long distance from the school, had a stopover for some hours before they reached their destination.

“There was no clean water or good food, and we felt we had already spent years even though it was our first day and the bandits kept firing into the air to scare us.

“They were very young boys with on one elder they called Kasalle or Yaya who gave them instructions, and he was the one that stopped them from touching any of us,” Hafsat stated.

According to her, the bandits wore military uniforms and claimed they defeated the security officials by invading the school and successfully whisking the girls away.

Hafsat, who said she was happy for being rescued, pointed out that she would continue her studies but as a day student.

NAN reports that the students were abducted last Friday around 2: 00 a.m. generating public outcry across the world, with many calling on the government and security agencies to ensure their safe return. (NAN)

How 279 school girls were released with help of repentant bandits – Gov. Matawalle

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By Abubakar Ahmed

Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara says repentant bandits in the state assisted security agencies in the operation that led to the rescue of Jangebe school girls.

The governor, who received the girls at about 5a.m on Tuesday in Gusau, said the 279 girls were returned safely without paying any ransom.

“This is the result of our peace effort and putting to shame all those saying there is no security in this country.

“We have been in discussion since Friday with the abductors and reached agreement on Monday by 4 p.m. that the girls were released.

“We are happy that all 279 have safely returned, they will undergo medical checks and given balanced diets to recuperate by the state government before they are handed back to their respective families.

“I want to appeal to parents not to remove their children from school as a result of this, we will ensure additional security in all the schools.

“We thank all media outlets for their support throughout these trying times,” the governor said.

Matawalle congratulated parents of the victims and Nigerians for the safe return of the girls.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that gunmen abducted the girls from their dormitories in Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, on Friday.

One of the victims, Hafsatu Anka, an SS II student who spoke in tears, said they were laid in trenches littered with human feaces.

“We saw other people including women and children and father of one of our school mates who had been in the den for three months.

“They walked us on foot where some of us got dislocated on their foot, they would pray as Muslims but never allowed us to pray and they fed us with rice in which they put sand after cooking,” Hafsat narrated. (NAN)

JAMB, institutions set June 15 deadline for 2020/21 admissions

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Veronica Dariya

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and heads of various tertiary institutions in the country have agreed to conclude all 2020/2021 admissions by June 15.

The board made the disclosure in a statement signed on Sunday by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dr Fabian Benjamin,  in Abuja.

It said that public universities would conclude admissions a month  before private universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

According to the JAMB,  heads of institutions and itself reached the agreement at a virtual meeting on Wednesday (Feb. 24) during which issues concerning admissions process were discussed.

”All admissions in the nation’s tertiary institutions for the 2020/2021 Academic Session would end by June 15.

“The decision was collectively taken at a virtual meeting with heads of tertiary institutions in the country on 24th February, 2021,” it said.

The board said that the meeting was  aimed at knowing the level the institutions had reached on the 2020/21 Admissions scale.

JAMB added that the essence of the interactive session was to forestall an endless admission regime generated by disruptions to daily life occasioned especially by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It said that  the meeting was also to enable the board to put necessary machineries in place for the 2021/2022 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and Direct Entry Registration.

According to him, only 30% of institutions has  commenced admissions into the 2020/2021 Academic Session.

“Stakeholders collectively agreed that all public universities would be expected to finish  admissions on or before 15th May, while private universities would complete theirs at the agreed date of June 15.

“This, also includes all IEIs, polytechnics and colleges of education.

“The decision on the chosen deadlines remains sacrosanct and binding on all institutions.

“The board will not tolerate breach of the collective decision reached,” it said.

JAMB said that it would announce, in a week’s time, the commencement date for the sale of application documents for the 2021/2022 Academic Session.

JAMB also urged all institutions to adhere strictly to advisories issued to them on inter- university transfers, intra-university transfers, foreign inter-university transfers and fresh foreign candidates.

It also advised them to adhere to advisories on change of programmes and institutions and other essential processes relating to admission.

According to the board, the adherence is to avoid  bickerings that could endanger the future of candidates and their subsequent mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps.

It said that transfer of candidates within institutions locally or internationally was  acceptable but must  follow due process.

JAMB said that as a responsible organisation and gatekeeper, it would not allow the process to be circumvented to allow unqualified candidates to gain access to the country’s institutions.

“JAMB would not be a party to any improper transfer or breach of set guidelines.

“Adequate measures or checks must be done to verify if such candidates meet minimum requirements or possess the prerequisite qualifications to be in the institution in the first instance.” (NAN)

Foundation to enrol 100 Almajiri pupils in school

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By Ali Baba-Inuwa

Beyond Community Care Foundation, a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) says it plans to enrol 100 Almajiri pupils in conventional schools.

Igwe Dennis Ezebuilo, Chairman of the board of the foundation, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Ezebuilo said the foundation would sponsor the education of the pupils up to primary six to take them off the streets and safeguard their future.

He said the gesture was aimed at complementing government’s efforts aimed at addressing street begging.

”The foundation is made up of few individuals who believe in rendering services to the society. In essence we are just trying to give back the society what we got from it.

“Our main target is to help uplift living conditions of the people, especially the downtrodden.

”We have been in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Abuja, trying to provide help by donating food and non food items.

”We have also provided scholarships to indigent students to enable them further their education,” Ezebuilo said.

He said that the membership of the foundation cut across the six geo-political zones of the country.

“We believe in the unity and oneness of Nigeria that is why we came together as a group to form the foundation towards touching lives.

“We have members from the North, West and South, our objective is one- touching lives and making positive impact in the society,” Ezebuilo said.

He said the foundation had acquired a mighty structure in Abuja to serve as its secretariat for smooth operation.

”We have just acquired a building in Lugbe on Airport Road, Abuja to serve as our secretariat,” Ezebuilo said.

He said that the foundation had provided a scholarship to one Miss Chidera Wisdom, an amputee student of Government Secondary School Garki, Abuja to enable her complete her studies.

“Wisdom whose right leg was amputated at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu had her hopes of writing the 2021 WAEC and NECO examination restored after foundation came to her rescue.

“Officials of the foundation led by the Project and Media Director, Mr Timothy Nwachukwu, visited the home of Wisdom on fact finding and verification.

“Thereafter, the foundation offered a scholarship and cash for the payment of her examination fees to enable her register and write the exam with the promise to sponsor her to the university as long as her results are good,” he said. (NAN)

Kano govt. closes 4 tertiary institutions over insecurity

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By Abbas Bamalli

The Kano State government has directed the immediate closure of four tertiary institutions in the state, following security challenges in some neighboring states.

The Commissioner for Higher Education, Hajiya Mariya Mahmud-Bunkure, announced this in a statement issued on Saturday in Kano.

She listed the affected institutions to include: RMK College of Advanced and Remedial Studies, Tundun Wada and School of Environmental Studies, Gwarzo.

Other affected institutions, according to the commissioner, are: School of Rural Technology and Entrepreneurship Development (SORTED), Rano and Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Dambatta.

She advised students of all the affected schools to vacate their campuses as soon as possible.

According to Mahmud-Bunkure, the dates for the reopening of the school will be communicated to the students later by the state government.

The commissioner noted that most of the schools were located along borders with neighbouring states, while some were on highways where they could be target of attack. (NAN)

Bauchi Govt spends N350m on school renovation, plans 12 others

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By Ayinde Olaide

The Bauchi State Government has spent N350 million on the renovation of Government Senior Secondary School, Zaki, in Zaki Local Government Area of the state.

Gov. Bala Mohammed disclosed this in Zaki LGA, while inspecting some of the projects embarked upon by the state government in the area.

Mohammed noted that the school had been dilapidated and neglected for over 40 years.

He said his administration also found it necessary to renovate the school in recognition and appreciation of the people of the area for voting for his government.

The governor further revealed that in order to catch up with other counterpart states, his administration was going to build 12 more schools across the state.

“We were here about a year ago, and we saw the dilapidation of this school. It has been abandoned and neglected for forty years.

“Because of this school and in recognition of the support and assistance that the people of Zaki had given us that brought us to power, we decided this place to be an example of how we are going to carry out the educational renewal of Bauchi state.

“We have the highest number of out of school children, we have the highest number of dilapidated schools and we decided to start with Zaki, where we are spending about N350 million.

“We are going to add more because there are areas that have not been procured. Because of that, we have observed that we have twelve more schools that need to be renovated and in addition, in order to catch up with our counterparts as a state, we are building twelve more schools,” the governor said.

Mohammed announced that his administration was borrowing a leaf from the first civilian governor of the state, late Alhaji Abubakar Ali, who had brought so many things to the state, in terms of infrastructure, educational and health services across the state.

“He was the one who built schools in every local government area; he was the one who built all the local government headquarters’ secretariats; he was the one who built all the roads we are enjoying today especially, in Bauchi city.

“We want to do as much as he has done. We will make sure we make the name of Abubakar Tatari Ali a legacy in Nigeria,” Mohammed said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the works carried out in the school included, renovation of hostels, staff quarters, classrooms, as well as the construction of perimeter fences, among others. (NAN)

Niger abduction: Parents commend Niger Govt. over victims’ release

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By Aminu Garko and Rita Iliya
Parents of the abducted students of Government Science College, Kagara, Niger, have commended the State Government for securing the release of the students and other victims.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls the 27 students , three staff and 12 family members of the school were released by their captors in the early hours of Saturday.
The victims were abducted by the gunmen on Feb. 17 and had spent 11 days in captivity.
NAN reports that the students arrived Minna at about 9.45 a.m. amid tight security and were received by officials of the state government  at the Niger Staye Development Company Suites.
A Team of medical personnel was deployed to the facility where the victims were being kept for profiling and medical attention.
One of the parents,  Aliyu Isah, said his wife and five of his children were among the victims who regained freedom.
“I just want to thank God for the safe return of my wife and children;I went through sleepless nights because I didn’t know their condition while in captivity, ” Isah said.
He also commended Gov. Abubakar Bello for his efforts toward the release of the abductees .
” I am very happy and pray such thing does not occur in our state, again,” he said.
Another parent, Abubakar Musa, also expressed happiness over the release of the victims, saying that himself and other members of the family had prayed for the safe return of their wards.
“Six of my children are among the victims; even though I am yet to meet them, I am optimistic that I will meet them in good health.
“I want to thank God for the safe return of the children. I am glad that they have been released,” Musa said.
Also, one of the relatives  of the victims who pleaded anonymity, said her sister was among the released victims.
”I am short of words to describe what I went through thinking about the condition my sister while she was in the hands of the gunmen, but I thank God for her safe return,” she said.
NAN reports that some other parents who wept openly, refused to comment on the development, saying they would only talk after meeting with their wards.
NAN also reports Mobile Police and NSCDC personnel have been deployed at the hotel as journalists were barred from accessing the facility where the victims were undergoing profiling and medical attention. (NAN)

Schools should not be places of fear, says NGO

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By Ishaq Zaki

Save the Children International (SCI), an NGO, has called for the immediate release of 300 students of Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara, abducted by gunmen on Friday.

In a statement issued in Gusau on Saturday, SCI’s Country Director, Mrs Mercy Gichuhi, said the NGO was horrified about the “unfortunate and unacceptable kidnap”.

She stressed that schools should never be a place of fear.

“Sadly, this is only the latest in a series of abductions in the northwest region. Over the past months, hundreds of children in Nigeria have gone through the trauma of being abducted by armed groups.

“SCI warns that being kidnapped, witnessing kidnappings, experiencing school attacks, and being forced to flee and take refuge from armed groups are extremely traumatising for young children and adolescents, including girls,” she said.

According to her, the organisation is deeply concerned about the protection of children in places that should be the safest for them.

“Schools are supposed to be safe learning zones for children to play, learn, realise and release their full potential. Instead, they are being turned into places of fear.

“The attacks on schools, students and teachers is very unfortunate, children have the right to have access to quality education in a safe environment,” she added.

Gichuhi said also that the attack and abductions could cause severe psychological trauma to children and put them at risk of never returning to school, as they or their parents think of the dangers involved.

“The children and their parents must be given adequate psycho-social support for a swift return to normal life, and those who are still missing must be found as soon as possible.

“We call upon all parties to refrain from targeting school children and to ensure that the kidnapped girls in Zamfara are immediately released and returned to their families.

“Save the Children urges the Nigerian government to ensure that children have access to safe, quality and uninterrupted education at all levels,” she stressed.

The statement was signed by Malam Murtala Bello, SCI Zamfara State Programme Manager. (NAN)

FG to partner with ABU on fiscal policy formulation

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The Federal Government has restated its commitment to partner with Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria on fiscal policies formulation.

Mrs Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning made the declaration in Zaria on Saturday.

She said the partnership would enhance the shaping of the Nigerian economy towards sustainable and inclusive growth.

She was speaking at the 14th Annual General Assembly Lecture organised by Ahmadu Bello University Alumni Association where she presented a paper titled “The Role of Universities in Nation Building’’.

She said universities and other tertiary institutions were key drivers for inclusive and sustainable development, especially now that the country needed to build a more resiliently post-COVID 19 economy.

The minister added that administrative leaders and professors at the institutions should be change agents that have the potential to shape and transform their students and also drive development and policy formulation.

“I request Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, to partner with the ministry to drive fiscal policies that shape our economy to a path of sustainable and inclusive growth.

“We welcome your advice and guidance and we will be ready to engage with you,’’ she stressed.

The minister said the Federal Government had made significant investments in infrastructural development in tertiary institutions.

“One of these investments is the deployment of hybrid Solar Power Systems in a number of tertiary institutions.

“The one for ABU is on its way, but  so far, four universities have had their solar systems installed and inaugurated and the universities now have 24 hours  uninterrupted power supply.

“The power system is not for the university communities alone, but will supply electricity to neighbouring communities,’’ she said.

She added that in 2020, approval was granted to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to disburse N395.032 billion for the development of personnel in tertiary institutions.

Mrs Ahmed also said that in 2021, N323.3 billion was approved for TETFund beside the budgetary allocations and Revitalisation Funds for universities to further strengthen the system.

Earlier, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, commended the association for giving laptop loans to students under its computer loans scheme.

He said the National Executive Council of the ABU Alumni had set a very high standard for other alumni associations to emulate.

The minister represented Mr Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, at the occasion.

In his remarks, Mr Toma Gyang, Kaduna State Commissioner for Economic Planning, who represented Gov. Nasir El-Rufai, said it was timely to engage universities in nation building.

He said Kaduna State government had showcased outstanding records of commitment to education reforms at all levels. (NAN)

 

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