ISSUES IN VARSITY UNIONS’ STRIKE COMPLICATED, SAYS MINISTER
INFORMATION, CULTURE AND TOURISM MINISTER LAI MOHAMMED HAS SAID THE ISSUES AROUND THE ONGOING STRIKE BY MEMBERS OF THE ACADEMIC STAFF UNION OF UNIVERSITIES (ASUU) AND OTHER UNIVERSITY-BASED UNIONS ARE MORE COMPLEX THAN NIGERIANS THINK, THOUGH HE SAYS THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING ITS BEST TO END THE FOUR-MONTH-OLD JOB BOYCOTT BY VARSITY TEACHERS AND THE DISPUTE BETWEEN THE OTHER UNIONS WITH THEIR EMPLOYERS.
MOHAMMED SAYS THE GOVERNMENT IS WORRIED OVER THE LONG CLOSURE OF PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES AND THEREFORE STEPPING UP EFFORTS TO RESOLVE ALL THE CONTENTIOUS ISSUES.
THE MINISTER TOLD STATE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS AFTER THE VIRTUAL FEDERAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (FEC) MEETING OF INFORMATION AND CULTURE THAT THE ISSUES AROUND THE “ASUU STRIKE ARE NOT AS SIMPLE AS THEY SEEM.”
APART FROM ASUU, THREE OTHER BODIES – SENIOR STAFF ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES (SSANU), NON-ACADEMIC UNION OF UNIVERSITIES AND ASSOCIATED INSTITUTIONS (NASU) AND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ACADEMIC TECHNOLOGISTS (NAAT) – ARE UP IN ARMS AGAINST THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER SUNDRY WELFARE MATTERS.
THEY ACCUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF BEING INSENSITIVE TO THEIR DEMANDS.
POLICE BURST BABY FACTORY, RESCUE 35 GIRLS IN ANAMBRA
POLICE OPERATIVES IN ANAMBRA STATE HAVE RESCUED 35 GIRLS FROM A BABY FACTORY IN THE NKPOR AREA OF ANAMBRA.
Tanzania to host 44th CAF Ordinary General Assembly
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the host for the 44th edition of its Ordinary General Assembly, which is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 10 August 2022.
The football body released a statement on Wednesday, naming Tanzania as the host of the events that will involve all the member associations.
CAF says it will communicate further details on the Ordinary General Assembly in due course.
New Somali President Appoints Prime Minister
Somalia’s President Sheikh Mohamud has appointed a new prime minister, Hamza Barre, who is a member of parliament for President Sheikh’s party.
The president says he has been considering the selection of a new prime minister for some time, and saw Barre as a potential candidate.
Speaking after his appointment, Barre who is expected to form a government once he is approved by parliament, says he will form a government worthy of rescuing the country, with the priority of working towards a united Somalia.
Extend voter registration, Reps urge INEC
The House of Representatives has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to extend the June 30, 2022, deadline for voter registration by 60 days, to enable more eligible Nigerians to register, get their Permanent Voter Card and participate in the 2023 general elections.
Also, the House has mandated its Committee on Electoral Matters to engage with INEC to “examine and proffer solutions to the shortage of registration machines and manpower.”
The engagement is to also see to the deployment of an additional 30 voter registration machines in each of the 774 local government areas, train and deploy ad hoc staff to improve the shortage of manpower at registration centres and provide security for the ad hoc staff.
The committee is to report back within two weeks for further legislative action.
Hasten release of other abducted train attack passengers, families beg FG
Families and friends of the kidnapped victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack, have begged the Federal Government to hasten efforts towards the release of the remaining 50 victims who have, so far, spent 77 days in the terrorists’ den.
Addressing newsmen in Kaduna, the chairman of the families of the victims, Abdulfatai Jimoh, thanked the government and other stakeholders for their effort in rescuing the 11.
However, they expressed concern over the condition of the remaining captives, noting that even the 11 released victims are still hospitalised, traumatised, and mentally unstable.
Soludo Bars Teachers Who Scored Below 50% In CBT From Recruitment
Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has barred teachers who scored below 50 per cent in the Computer Based Test conducted for them from being recruited into the state’s school system.
The state Commissioner for Education, Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, stated this saying the governor has approved 50 per cent as the cut-off mark for the examination with respect to the ongoing teachers’ recruitment exercise in the state.
She said those who scaled the 50 per cent benchmark would take another qualifying examination on Saturday.
Recall that no fewer than 31,000 teachers across the state sat for the test last Saturday in batches, out of which 5,000 will be employed by the state government.
Ugbade Thumbs Up Golden Eaglets, Targets AFCON Ticket
Ugbade Thumbs Up Golden Eaglets, Targets AFCON Ticket
Tigray forces ‘ready’ for Kenya-mediated peace talks
TIGRAYAN FORCES WHO HAVE BEEN AT WAR WITH THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT FOR MORE THAN 18 MONTHS SAY THEY ARE READY TO SEND A HIGH LEVEL DELEGATION TO TALKS, MEDIATED BY THE KENYAN GOVERNMENT.
A LETTER SIGNED BY THE HEAD OF THE TIGRAY PEOPLE’S LIBERATION FRONT, DEBRETSION GEBREMICHAEL, DID NOT SET OUT ANY PRECONDITIONS – UNLIKE PREVIOUS STATEMENTS ABOUT POSSIBLE NEGOTIATIONS.
EARLIER ON TUESDAY, ETHIOPIAN PRIME MINISTER ABIY AHMED SAID HIS GOVERNMENT FAVOURED THE IDEA OF PEACE TALKS TO END THE WAR.
THE TWO STATEMENTS HAVE RAISED HOPES THAT THE CONFLICT THAT HAS FORCED MORE THAN TWO MILLION PEOPLE FROM THEIR HOMES CAN BE BROUGHT TO AN END THROUGH DIALOGUE.
PDP Committee To Screen Atiku’s Running Mate On Thursday
THE PEOPLES’ DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP) HAS SET UP A COMMITTEE TO SCREEN ITS VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE FOR THE 2023 GENERAL ELECTIONS.
THE PARTY’S SPOKESMAN, DEBO OLOGUN-AGBA ANNOUNCED THIS, SAYING MEMBERS OF THE VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE SCREENING COMMITTEE WERE NOMINATED BY THE PDP NATIONAL WORKING COMMITTEE (NWC) IN LINE WITH THE ELECTORAL GUIDELINES OF THE PARTY.
HE SAID THE SCREENING EXERCISE WILL HOLD BY 10 AM ON THURSDAY INSIDE THE NWC HALL AT THE PDP NATIONAL SECRETARIAT IN ABUJA, THE NATION’S CAPITAL.
MEANWHILE, REPORTS HAVE IT THAT THE ADVISORY COUNCIL CONSTITUTED BY THE LEADERSHIP OF THE PDP, CONDUCTED A MOCK ELECTION YESTERDAY, FOR THE THREE CONTENDERS FOR THE SLOT OF THE VICE PRESIDENT.
RIVERS STATE GOVERNOR, NYESOM WIKE, REPORTEDLY WON THE MOCK POLL HELD AT THE NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS OF THE PDP IN ABUJA ON TUESDAY.