ASUU begins strike over MoU with FG

Two months into a nationwide strike by polytechnic lecturers, Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Monday, began a nationwide strike over alleged Federal Government’s refusal to implement the agreement between it and the union over unpaid entitlements, its National President, Dr. Nasir Fagge, has said.
Polytechnics lecturers are also on strike due to alleged non-implementation of agreements and lack of infrastructure in their institutions.
Fagge spoke in an interview with newsmen, yesterday, at the University of Lagos, UNILAG, after the union’s National Executive Council, NEC, meeting at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State.
He said: “We are embarking on an indefinite strike nationwide because Federal Government reneged on the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed with ASUU in 2009 to pay lecturers their EARN allowances.”
According to Fagge, Federal Government, in 2009 signed an agreement to pay each lecturer N12,500 per month as EARN allowance, which it has not done since then.
He said: “The allowances include excess work load, high carriage of student per lecturer, responsibility allowance, ranging from administrative responsibility borne by lectures for example, as Head of Department, Deans of Faculties, Examination Officers, Course Advisers and Supervision of thesis.
“The highest any lecture gets from this allowance is N12,500 per month. The truth is that since 2009 no lecturer has been paid any allowance apart from his salary.”

Fagge explained that when the non-payment of allowance was brought to the notice of Federal Government, it said that it forgot to include it in the budget and promised to make amends in subsequent but never did.
Before the commencement of strike, Fagge noted that the union held several meetings with officials of the Federal Government on the issue but regretted that government did not take the union seriously.
He said: “We went ahead to go on a warning strike and they never did anything to avert the industrial action.
“We had series of interaction with the Federal Government at the national level, but to the dismay of ASUU, the government recently came with a new position that they can not pay more than 50 percent of the agreed amount
“It had earlier been reduced to 80 percent by the union.
“Between December and January 2011, the union suspended its industrial action over ASUU/FG agreements. Within the period, the union had series of meetings with Federal Government.
“When the strike was suspended two and half years ago, there was an MoU signed with the Federal Government.
“In the MoU, the Federal Government agreed to inject funds to uplift the infrastructure in the universities which it never did.”

Senate to suspend plenary over Ewherido's death

President of the Senate, David Mark, has said the Senate will suspend Tuesday's plenary session as a mark of respect for the late Senator Pius Ewherido, who died on Sunday in Abuja.
Mark gave the hint

on Monday when he led the Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, and other senators to the residence of the late Ewherido in Asokoro, Abuja.

While consoling the deceased's wife, Doye, he said, "In line with our tradition and as a mark of respect for our departed colleague, the Senate will suspend plenary tomorrow (today).
"We share in your bereavement, pains and sorrows at this moment of grief."
Mark also urged members of the Ewherido's family to continue to have faith in God, noting that death always subject believers' faith in God to test.
"As Catholics, it is easy to say the Creed that I believe in God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. But when death comes, we question God. This is the time to increase our faith in God.
"If there was anything we could have done to save the life of our distinguished colleague, we would have done it but the Lord owns his life," he counselled.
Also extolling the virtues of the late Ewherido, Uduaghan described the late senator as "a strong voice from Delta."
He said Ewherido was an experienced lawmaker, having been a deputy speaker and later an acting speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly.
"In the last two years, he has brought this experience to bear on the floor of the Senate. We have lost a strong voice in Delta," he said.
Receiving the delegation, the elder brother of the late senator, Rev. Fr. Anthony Ewherido, expressed the family's gratitude to the President of the Senate, Uduaghan and senators across party lines for standing by them.
He said, "He was your distinguished colleague. I have always been proud of him but I am more proud of him in death."
Similarly, the Leader of the Senate, Victor Ndoma-Egba, said on Monday that Ewherido's death was a great pain and shock.
He said, "Senator Ewherido was the quintessential legislator, who was cerebral, insightful, clear in language and thought. He had the courage of his convictions and had an excellent grasp of legislative practice, drawing from his experience as Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly and natural endowments."
Also, the member representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency, Ndudi Elumelu, described as sad and deeply shocking the sudden death of Ewherido.
Meanwhile, the Action Congress of Nigeria described as a great national loss the death of Ewherido, who passed away at the National Hospital in Abuja on Sunday.
In a statement in Lagos on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party commiserated with the family of the senator, his constituency in the Delta Central Senatorial District, as well as the entire Senate over his untimely demise.
It said the death of such a man of sterling achievements at a tender age of only 50 was a big blow to all, adding that he would be sorely missed.
Also, the Nigeria Governors' Forum described Ewherido's death as painful.
The governors, in a statement by their Chairman, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State in Abuja on Monday, said it was unfortunate that the senator, who they described as hardworking, could die when his services were more needed in the country.
The statement read, "We hereby condole with the Nigerian Senate, the government and people of Delta State and the entire Ewherido family over the sudden death of Senator Pius Ewherido, who, until his death, represented Delta Central Senatorial District on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
"It is unfortunate that the hardworking, independent-minded senator, a political icon, and one of the most accomplished politicians in our country passed on at a time our country needed his invaluable service most. His loss is no doubt a monumental loss to our nation.
"Senator Ewherido's departure is both painful and shocking. But we take solace in the fact that he lived and died well."

Tonto Dikeh responds to NDLEA arrest threat

Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh has responded to a potential arrest threat by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) by declaring that she has not received any summon to that effect. The marijuana

pictures posted on Instagram elicited a flurry of invectives from critics and fans alike of the controversial actress and according to the spokesperson of NDLEA, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyejus the agency will see to it that action is taken on the issue.

"Our attention has been drawn to the post quite frankly and I can tell you that action will be taken on it. The law is clear and NDLEA has been very clear on the issue. No one is permitted to sell, use, cultivate or encourage the use of Indian hemp in Nigeria. The substance is one of the banned narcotics in the country.
"NDLEA Act Section 14 (b) states that any person who conspires with, aids, abets, counsels, attempts to commit or is an accessory to any act or offence referred to in this act shall be guilty of an offence under this act and liable on conviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not less than 15 years and not exceeding 25 years."
Meanwhile the actress has launched a damage control campaign by stating through her publicist that the picture posted on Instagram is a misconception.
"As much as I would like to ignore the current issue on hemp, I think I owe well-meaning people some clarification. It is so easy the misconception that can come from a picture- the genius of technology. If you cannot find me holding a wrap of marijuana then you may want to slow down on your assumptions. We shouldn't use our platforms to spread half-truths.
"A fan wrote those words with herbs on my birthday on Instagram, and I replied: "Thank you #teampoko". Now how does someone else's action become my crime? If I said those words ('Mi smoke gaja mi smoke weed while my hatez smoke ma gossip') I will stand by them but I didn't, and just because it is convenient for people to believe the lies still doesn't make it the truth. The whole thing is falsified by people who just love to have fun at other's expense.
"Let's put some thought to some of the things we write. Don't do cut-and-paste. The original pictures are there to see; but no! That is too boring to be the truth. We want the truth to be nasty and spicy for our enjoyment, even if it is a pack of lies. Visit my Instagram page and see if the original picture is the same as the ones being circulated", she said.