UNIPORT APPROVED REVISED ACADEMIC CALENDAR FOR THE SECOND SEMESTER OF 2016/2017 SESSION

1. Wednesday, 20^th September, 2017 – Friday, 6^th October, 2017 

2. Monday, 9^th October, 2017 – Friday, 13^th October, 2017

       Revision Week

3. Monday, 16^th October, 2017 – Saturday, 4^th November, 2017

       Second Semester Examinations

4. Monday, 6^th November, 2017 – Saturday, 11^th November, 2017

       Students Union Week: Cultural Activities

5. Wednesday, 13^th December, 2017

       Extraordinary Meeting of Senate to consider the Second Semester Results  

       Signed: Management

UNIPORT Post-UTME Screening Schedule 2017/2018 Announced

This is to inform duly registered candidates that the 2017/2018 POST-UTME Screening Exercise has been rescheduled to commence on Monday, 25th of September 2017.
Candidates are therefore advised to check the university website for the current timetable, candidates are also to reprint their examination photo cards.

DATE: Monday, September 25th

TIME: 7:00am-11noon

FACULTIES: Humanities: ENGLISH STUDIES FINE ARTS AND DESIGN FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURE HISTORY AND DIPLOMATIC STUDIES LINGUISTICS AND COMMUNICATION STUDIES MUSIC PHILOSOPHY RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL STUDIES THEATRE ARTS

 

DATE: Monday, September 25th

TIME: 12:00pm-3:00pm

FACULTIES: Education; Law: (ADULT AND NON FORMAL EDUCATION EDUCATION ARTS EDUCATION SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING HUMAN KINETICS AND HEALTH EDUCATION) ; CIVIL LAW

 

DATE: Tuesday, September 26th 

TIME: 7:00am-11noon

FACULTIES: Medicine & Surgery

 

DATE: Wednesday, September 27th

TIME: 7:00am-11noon

FACULTIES: Science: ANIMAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY BIOCHEMISTRY COMPUTER SCIENCE GEOLOGY MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS SCIENCE MICROBIOLOGY PHYSICS PLANT SCIENCE AND BIOTECHNOLOGY PURE AND INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY

 

DATE: Wednesday, September 27th

TIME: 12:00pm-3:00pm

FACULTIES: Pharmacy 

 

DATE: Thursday, September 28th

TIME: 7:00am-11noon

FACULTIES: Management Sciences : MANAGEMENT SCIENCES ACCOUNTING FINANCE AND BANKING MANAGEMENT MARKETING TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

 

DATE: Thursday, September 28th

TIME: 12:00pm-3:00pm

FACULTIES: Nursing 

 

 

DATE: Friday, September 29th 

TIME: 7:00am-11noon

FACULTIES: Engineering: CHEMICAL ENGINEERING CIVIL ENGINEERING ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PETROLEUM AND GAS ENGINEERING

 

DATE: Friday, September 29th 

TIME: 12:00pm-3:00pm

FACULTIES: SSLT/Anatomy/Physiology/Dentistry/Agriculture: AGRIC ECONOMICS AND EXTENSION ANIMAL SCIENCE AND FISHERIES CROP AND SOIL SCIENCE FORESTRY AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

 

DATE: Saturday, 30th September

TIME: 7:00am-11noon

FACULTIES: Social Sciences: ECONOMICS GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT POLITICAL SCIENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE STUDIES SOCIOLOGY

 

DATE: Saturday, 30th September

TIME: 12:00pm-3:00pm

FACULTIES: 2nd Choice Candidates 

N200,000 MTN Foundation Scholarship Scheme For Nigerians - 2018

                                                    
The MTN Nigeria Foundation Limited was established for the purpose of focusing MTN Nigeria's efforts in terms of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives to help reduce poverty and foster sustainable development in Nigeria.

This foundation invites applications from high performing full time second year students studying in public tertiary institutions (universities, polytechnics and colleges of education) in Nigeria. The scholarship provides financial assistance to students who might otherwise be unable to pay for their tertiary education and aims to recognize and reward academic excellence.

This scholarship program will be awarded to applicants who are studying Science and Technology courses and it will cover tuition, book allowance and stipends.

Eligibility

- Applicants must be Nigerian

- Applicants must be full time second year students studying in public tertiary institutions (universities, polytechnics and colleges of education) in Nigeria.

- Applicants must have maintained a minimum CGPA of 3.5 or its equivalent (second class upper/upper credit)

Application Process

Click here to begin application process

Application Deadline

The application deadline is on 9th October 2017

EXTENSION OF MISS ANDONI BEAUTY PAGEANT SALES OF FORM

It has been brought to our notice that the Miss Andoni Beauty Pageant form, which kicked-off  early August and is scheduled to end on the 15th of September, 2017 has been extended due to the plight of the Obolo people and as a result of the economic dwindling which has lead to some financial constraint.
We are using this medium to call on all well meaning Obolo daughters to utilise this great opportunity and pick their forms.
For more information and direction please visit
No. 2 Aranye Street, behind Nitel Max, D/line Port Harcourt or

Call 08038704706

ASUU Calls Off Strike, Directs Lecturers To Resume With Immediate Effect

BREAKING: ASUU calls off strike
ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2017   9:54 PM
IN NEWS COMMENTS By Johnbosco Agbakwuru ABUJA – 
THE Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, last night announced a conditional suspension of the strike it embarked upon five weeks ago.But the union said that the suspension has time line for the Federal Government to implement what was contained in the memorandum of action the two parties entered into. Briefing journalists after a meeting with the Federal Government Negotiation Team, the National President of ASUU, Prof. Abiodun Ogunyemi said in event the government in her characteristic mature failed to implement the aggreement, the union will not hesitate to take appropriate action, adding that all the items on the list have a time line. ASUU and the Federal Government team led by the Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige had lurked in a meeting that started about 4.00pm which was supposed to last for about one hour, but it dragged for about four hours before agreement was reached on all contending issues. Briefing Journalist after the meeting which ended at about 7.55pm, Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige said all the gray areas have been sorted out and an agreement reached. He said that members of the union had insisted that they were tired of having agreements that are not implemented, pointing out that the content of the agreement was taken from the series of meeting with the union since the commencement of the strike. He said further that that both the government and the union understood themselves and agreed in several issues, assuring that the agreement reached will be implemented by the government in line with available resources. Areas of agreement include funding for revitalization of public universities and the issue of Earn Academic Allowances, the issue of University Staff Schools and the implementation of the judgement of the National Industrial Court, National Universities Pension Management Company and guidelines for pension matters for Professors. He also said that the union agreed to the exemption offered by the government regarding the issue of TSA, which include the issue of grants, endowment fund as well as salary short fall which he said is already being implemented by government. On the issue of state universities, he said they agreed that the union will submit a position paper to the federal government on their observation with a view for government to advise state government on the funding of state universities. He describe the union as patriotic members of the society, pointing out that anybody who demand better working equipment is no doubt a patriot.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/09/breaking-asuu-calls-off-strike/

AN OBOLO GOSPEL ARTISTE DROPS IT HOT

JUSTICE-------THE VOICE OF GOD{IDA-AWAJI}

An Obolo Gospel singer whose nomenclature is JUSTICE IDA-AWAJI and hails from a renounced town called Egbormung an ancient city in Unyeada. Justice is a passionate singer and a well known music director, Am calling on all well meaning Obolo sons/daughters and lovers of music to please download and share this music, the music is highly inspirational and portrays God in our Obolo language. Its really mind-blowing and superb.Download via the link https://my.notjustok.com/track/270662/justice-the-voice

NECO SSCE Result 2017 Released

The National Examination Council (NECO) has released the results of the 2017 senior school certificate examination (SSCE) it conducted throughout the country and some overseas countries between June and July.

The results showed that 745,053 candidates that sat for the examination recorded credit and above passes in English and Mathematics, while 947,850 candidates passed with credits and above in five subjects irrespective of English and Mathematics.

According to the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of NECO, Professor Charles Uwakwe, who announced the results, over 1,055,988 candidates registered for the examination, while 1,051472 actually sat for the test which covered a total of 76 subjects.

The registrar disclosed that 50,586 candidates were involved in examination malpractices, adding that 276 schools were involved in “mass cheating” in 34 states.

As a result, Uwakwe said six schools had been “derecognised” for their institution being involved in examination malpractices in addition to 23 supervisors “who aided malpractices in one way or the other were blacklisted”.

Candidates can proceed the official website http://www.mynecoexams.com/results/default.aspxonline to check their results

Nigerian Agip Oil Company Tertiary Scholarship Scheme / 2017 campaign

OVERVIEW

                                                                           NIGERIAN AGIP OIL COMPANY LIMITED
                                                                     Operator of the NNPC/NAOC/OHL Joint Venture

                                                                                              R. C. 2974

                                        2016/2017 NAOC TERTIARY SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME: APPLICATION/EXAMINATION
The Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOC) Joint Venture in pursuance of its Corporate Social Responsibility invites suitably qualified applicants for its 2016/2017 Session Tertiary Scholarship Scheme, effective from 11th September to 29th September, 2017.

Category of Awards

• Host Communities Merit Award – For applicants strictly from NAOC Host Communities
• National Merit Award – For applicants from Non-Host communities

REQUIREMENT/ ELIGIBILITY

To qualify for consideration, applicants MUST be:

• Registered Full TIME undergraduates in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions
• Certified 100 level students at the time of application (Only students admitted in 2016/2017 academic session)

NOTE: The following categories of students should not apply:

• 200 level students and above
• Current beneficiaries of similar Awards from other Companies and Agencies
• Dependants of NAOC/NAE/AENR

Only Indigenes of NAOC Host Communities in Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Imo States SHOULD apply for the Host Communities Merit Award.
Only applicants studying Engineering, Geology, Geosciences and Agricultural Science are eligible for the National Merit Award.
Deadline: Closing date for receipt of e-applications is strictly Midnight, September 29th, 2017.

NOTE: The aptitude test will take place at designated centers to be communicated to applicants on a later date and applicants are to fully bear the cost of transportation to and from Aptitude test centres.

HOW TO APPLY

Application is open to 100 level students only.

1. Before you start this application, ensure you have clearly scanned copies of the following documents

• Passport photograph with white background not more than 3 months old (450px by 450px not more than 200kb)
• School ID Card
• O’level Certificate
• Admission Letter
• Birth Certificate
• Proof of Local Government Area of Origin
• Letter from Community Paramount Ruler (Only Applicants for Host Communities Merit Award)
• Letter from CDC Chairman (Only Applicants for Host Communities Merit Award).
• JAMB Result

2. Ensure the documents are named according to what they represent to avoid mixing up documents during upload
3. Ensure you attach the appropriate documents when asked to upload
4. Ensure to provide valid Email and Phone Contact for effective communication

To apply, follow the steps below:1.    Click on "Apply Now" tab.
2.    Click on "Register Now" to create an account.
3.    Proceed to your email box to activate your account
4.    Click on www.scholastica.ng/schemes/naocscholarships to return to Scholarship site
5.    Enter your registered email and password to upload your information.
6.    Enter your personal information, National Identification Number (if available), educational information, other information and upload required scanned documents.
7.    Ensure the name used in application matches the names on all documentation in same order. Upload a sworn affidavit or certificate if otherwise.
8.    Ensure you view all documents after uploading, to eliminate errors during uploading.
9.    When asked to upload photo, upload a pass-port photograph with a white background.
10.  Recheck application information to avoid errors
11.  Click "Apply Now" to submit information
12.  You will receive an email and a sms that confirms your application was successful.
13.  Return to www.scholastica.ng, enter your Email and Password to download your profile and proceed to have your Head of Department sign the document.
14.  Upload a scanned copy of the signed profile, this would be used for verification.
15.  If National Identification Number (NIN) number was not available in step 6, to obtain your National Identification Number (NIN) 

• Visit http://ninenrol.gov.ng to register and learn more about the National Identity Number   
• Click "Create Account" and fill in the required  fields   
• Login with Email and Password to complete the form   
• After completion, schedule a date for photo and finger print capture   
• Visit any of the capture centres https://www.nimc.gov.ng/?q=nin-registration-centres  to complete the registration process and obtain your National Identity Number   
• You can also do your total registration at the NIMC office 

16. Return to www.scholastica.ng/schemes/naocscholarships and update application with National Identification Number (NIN) to ensure completion

Note: Multiple applications attract a disqualification penalty from the Scholarship board

UNIPORT END OF POST-UTME REGISTRATION ANNOUNCED

UNIPORT END OF POST-UTME REGISTRATION ANNOUNCED

This to inform our prospective Students that owing to unforeseen circumstances, that the 2017/2018 Screening Exercise scheduled to commence on the 14th September, 2017, has been postponed. A new date will be communicated in due course.
Candidates are therefore advised to visit the University website for further information in this regard. Registration for the Screening will end on Monday, 18th September, 2017.
Any inconvenience caused by this postponement is regretted.

(Signed)
REGISTRAR

UNIPORT POST-UTME POSTPONMENT

POSTPONEMENT OF POST-UTME SCREENING EXERCISE FOR 2017/2018 SESSION

This to inform our prospective Students that owing to unforeseen circumstances, that the 2017/2018 Screening Exercise scheduled to commence on the 14th September, 2017, has been postponed. A new date will be communicated in due course.
Candidates are therefore advised to visit the University website for further information in this regard. Registration for the Screening is still on going.
Any inconvenience caused by this postponement is regretted.

(Signed)
REGISTRAR

NATIONAL UNION OF OBOLO ENTERTAINERS

MISS ANDONI BEAUTY PAGEANT

The Nationl Union of Obolo Entertainers{NUOENT} presents Miss Andoni Beauty Pageant 2018. The purchase of the forms has been officially kicked-off and will end on the 15th of September, 2017.

MISS ANDONI BEAUTY PAGEANT

MISS ANDONI BEAUTY PAGEANT

Finally.....

SELLING OF MISS ANDONI BEAUTY PAGEANT (ANDONI FACE OF PEACE) MABP 2018 FORMS WILL BE CLOSE THIS FRIDAY 15TH OF SEPTEMBER 2017 IN ORDER FOR US TO COMMENCE AUDITION, SCREENING AND CAMPING RESPECTIVELY...... SO IF UR A BEAUTY QUEEN FROM ANDONI, DONT BE LEFT OUT PICK UR FORM now.

2018 Jim Ovia Undergraduate & Graduate Scholarship Program - Nigeria. Apply Now!!!

2018 Jim Ovia Undergraduate & Graduate Scholarship Program - Nigeria. Apply Now!!!

All Nigerian Graduate, undergraduates and newly admitted students are now welcomed to apply for the Jim Ovia Scholarship. 

This scholarships creates a network of future Nigerian students to compete globally, share and create new ideas, and improve lives in their respective environment. 

Eligibility

To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must:

- Be citizens of Nigeria.
- Have leadership qualities, personal intellectual abilities and be able to help the society at large.
- Be Graduates or Undergraduates in any Nigerian University

Application Process

- Interested and Eligible applicants should visit www.jimoviafoundation.org. Click on ‘LOG IN’ or ‘REGISTER NOW’ at top right hand corner of the homepage

Please read the Scholarship application guide

Application Deadline

The application deadline for this scholarship is on 30th November 2017 and it is offered annually

JAMB IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION

JAMB IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION

The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has directed all candidates to re-upload their results on the JAMB Portal.

According to the information made available by JAMB via its twitter page, all candidates are advised to upload their results onto the portal again.

All Institutions have been directed to ensure that candidates awaiting the release of NECO results are considered for their various PUTME

This means that NECO awaiting result candidates will be considered for admission

Such candidates are to indicate where required but ensure to upload the result once it is released.

We therefore advise all JAMB candidates to proceed to an accredited centre to upload their results.

FUOTUOKE Post UTME Screening Form – 2017/18 [Cut-Off Mark: 150]

The Federal University Otuoke, FUOTUOKE Post-UTME Screening Exercise for admission into ALL COURSES/PROGRAMMES for the 2017/2018 Academic Year has commenced.

CANDIDATES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FUOTUOKE POST UTME.

The following categories of JAMB UTME candidates are eligible to apply:

A. Candidates who took the Federal University Otuoke as their first choice and scored 150 and above in the 2017/2018 JAMB UTME examination.

B. Candidates who did not choose Federal University Otuoke as their first choice but wish to study in the university and scored 150 and above in the 2017/2018 JAMB UTME examination. Candidates in this category are advised to do the necessary change of institution to Federal University Otuoke 72 hours before applying for any of the under-listed programmes.

FUTUOKE AVAILABLE DEGREE PROGRAMMES.

1. FACULTY OF EDUCATION
i. B. Ed. Business Education
ii. B. Sc. (Ed.)Education/Chemistry
Ill. B. A. (Ed) Education/History
IV. B. Sc. (Ed.)Education/Mathematics v. B. Sc. (Ed.) Education/Physics

2. FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
i. B.Eng. Chemical Engineering
II. B.Eng. Civil Engineering
III. B.Eng. Electrical/Electronic Engineering
IV. B.Eng. Mechanical Engineering
v. B.Eng. Mechatronics Engineering
VI. B.Eng. Petroleum and Gas Engineering

3. FACULTY OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
i. B. Sc. Economics and Development Studies
ii. B. A. English and Communication Studies
Ill. B. A. History and International Studies
IV. B.Sc. Political Science
v. B. Sc. Sociology and Anthropology

4. FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCES
i. B.Sc. Accounting
ii. B.Sc. Banking and Finance
iii. B.Sc. Business Administration
iv. B.Sc. Entrepreneurship
v. B.Sc. Marketing

5. FACULTY OF SCIENCE
1. B. Sc. Biochemistry
11. B.Sc. Biology
Ill. B.Sc. Chemistry
IV. B.Sc. Computer Science and Informatics
v. B.Sc. Mathematics
VI. B.Sc. Microbiology
VII. B.Sc. Physics
VIII. B.Sc. Statistics

FUOTUOKE POST UTME REGISTRATION PROCEDURE.

Candidates are to make a Non-refundable payment of Two Thousand Naira (N2,000.00) only by using a Debit Card or pay at the bank option for application processing and Post-UTME fee.

Candidates are to visit www.fuotuoke.edu.ng or http://ecampus.fuotuoke.edu.ngfor detailed instructions for the online application.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR THE ONLINE APPLICATION
Candidates are required to upload the following documents:
1. Recent Passport – size photograph
2. Copy of 2017 JAMB UTME original result printout
3. Copy of WAEC/NECO/NABTEB O-Level Result
4. Copy of LGA Identification letter
5. Copy of Birth Certificate or Age Declaration
6. Valid WAEC/NECO/NABTEB O-Level Result Checking Scratch Card Details

SPECIAL INSTRUCTION
1. Use a digital passport photograph
2. Use the same name as used in your JAMB UTME and in the same order
3. Submit a valid email address and phone number in your online application
4. Upload your O’level checking scratch card. For candidates combining two 01evel results, both scratch cards should be uploaded accordingly

COMMENCEMENT/DEADLINE OF ONLINE APPLICATION
1. Online application portal will be open from Tuesday, 5th September 2017. via our portal www.fuotuoke.edu.ng or www .ecampus.fuotuoke.edu.ng . Online registration closes on Friday, 22nd September, 2017.

DATE AND TIME OF POST -UTME EXERCISE
The date and time of the Post – UTME Test will be as contained in the online registration Acknowledgement Slip.

NOTE: candidates are to adhere strictly to the Date and Time on their Online Acknowledgement Slip.

a. Candidates are to bring the following for the test:
1. Online registration Acknowledgement slip
2. Copy of UTME result slip

b. DO NOT bring the following into the test hall:
1. Mathematical tables
2. Calculators
3. GSM phones

All the items listed above will be confiscated if brought into the screening hall. Federal University Otuoke will not be held liable for loss of GSM phones seized from candidates.

DISQUALIFICATION
CANDIDATES WHO MAKE FALSE DEClARATION OF UTME SCORES, o ‘LEVEL GRADES (WAEC, NECO ORNABTEB)AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN SHALL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR ADMISSION

Names of successful candidates will be published on the University’s Website.

ALL CANDIDATES MUST PARTICIPATE IN THE POST-UTME TEST FOR ADMISIION INTO THE UNIVERSITY.

University lecturers’ strike ’ll end if…, ASUU tells FG

University lecturers’ strike ’ll end if…, ASUU tells FG 
ON SEPTEMBER 3, 20176:37 AMIN INTERVIEW, NEWSCOMMENTS By Dayo Adesulu
Amid hopes that the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) teams will meet this week to try to resolve the issues that led to the strike by university lecturers across the country, ASUU President, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, says the implementation of seven issues with timelines was crucial to the resolution of the dispute. President Muhammadu Buhari and ASUU President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi ASUU had shunned a meeting with the government team last week on the grounds that it was still consulting with its members on the contending issues. In this interview, Ogunyemi believes the industrial action will be called off if the Buhari administration was willing to transform the university system. According to him, “university education is too important to be treated with levity”. Please take us through the genesis of the current dispute between ASUU and the Federal Government? In November 2016, ASUU went on a one-week warning strike. That strike was a culmination of our persistent call on the Federal Government to address issues bordering on how to re-position the Nigerian university system, based on our desire to deal with the rot and decay in the system. We reached some understanding on the issues leading to the warning strike, but government went to sleep after we suspended the strike action. Our advocacy for restoring the dignity of tertiary education, particularly university education, has a long history. Sure it has a long history Let me just take you back to 2012, when Federal Government conducted the Needs Assessment of public universities in respect of the level of rot and decay. The report was submitted in July 2012. It documented steps that government must take to concretely revitalize public universities for global reckoning. Broadly speaking, such measures would involve massive injection of funds as well as addressing governance issues. The needs assessment exercise was carried out by a National Committee headed by the present Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakoob. When the report was submitted, government was almost going to ignore it. ASUU had to write several letters, hold countless meetings as well as embark on a number of warning strikes to make the Federal Government implement the recommendations of its own Committee. Our agitations for the implementation of that report came to a head with a nationwide strike action from July to December 2013. As part of the process leading to the suspension of the action, government signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with ASUU on 11th December, 2013. Was ASUU a part of that National Committee? Yes, ASUU was fully involved. We had called for government to comprehensively address the problems associated with universities, but government always said our claims were exaggerated. Mind you, there was a 2009 agreement that also had its own history. You know, since 1992, we had always talked of the need to address the issue of brain-drain and make our universities competitive with other universities around the world. Way back in 1992, we started talking about remuneration and welfare issues, because of the exodus of the best and brightest from our universities. That gave rise to the issue of conditions of service. Beyond that,we talked of the issue of funding. We also talked about university autonomy and academic freedom. The last issue we advocated on are categorised as “other matters” and these are associated with the general working and living environment for university academics. These four components were directed at addressing issues affecting the Nigerian university system in order to make it internationally competitive. After initial disputations, the then government negotiated and agreed with us on these four cardinal areas – that was under General Ibrahim Babangida. That agreement was very comprehensive. So, since 1992, we have had other levels of negotiations – about four or five agreements: 1999, 2001, and then 2009, apart from 1992. These had been going on and it came to a head in 2009, when government was trying to dispute our claims. At that point, we implored the Federal Government to go into the universities and investigate because lecturers were leaving in droves and the state of facilities was on steady decline. In a nutshell, the four areas earlier highlighted could be broadly classified into two: the working environment and motivation for lecturers. So, in 2012, government did its own assessment… Yes, they carried out their own investigation into our assertions on the rot and decay in the public universities. The report was by the Committee On Needs Assessment of Nigerian Public Universities, submitted in July, 2012. It had to take another set of agitations for government to pay attention to implementing its own report and that was what led to the 2013 Memorandum of Understanding. You would recall the strike action our members were forced to embark on then in 2013. So, we can safely narrow the issues to financial and non-financial? Yes, the financial aspect talks about massive injection of N1.3 trillion to be spread over six years, starting with N200billion, released in 2013 and subsequently, N220billion every year for the next five years. We also have the non-financial aspect of the Needs Assessment Report which deals largely with university governance issues – role of governing councils, university administration, students’ welfare, etc. You said in 2016, you had a warning strike because government wasn’t listening but government is claiming that there was a panel, headed by Wale Babalakin, in place to discuss these issues. Since 2013, government has not done anything again on the Needs Assessment Intervention Fund. Apart from the initial release of N200 billion, funds for 2014, no additional kobo for 2015 and 2016 as specified in the MoU of 2013 has been released. We have other issues like withdrawal of funding support for University Staff Schools, non-registration of university-based PFA called NUPEMCO, and guidelines for implementing the provision of the 2014 Pension Reform Act with respect to professors retiring with their salaries. We also have issues of fractional salaries, arrears of earned academic allowances, EAA, and exemption of aspects of university grants that hinder university operations from TSA. These seven issues were among the key elements of the understanding reached at the National Assembly with officials of the relevant MDAs in the wake of our warning strike in November 2016. So they are actionable issues to which we had timelines attached. For instance, government promised to complete a forensic audit on the N30 billion released to address part of the EAA in 2013 within six months. We agreed to that proposal, but eight months after, we are just learning that the promised forensic audit had not be conducted. Again, government said ASUU should await a court judgment on the issue of staff school which was to be delivered on 5th December, 2016. The judgment came in favour of another university-based staff union that took government to court and it was in line with ASUU’s insistence that government could not unilaterally abrogate our agreement in respect of staff school provision as part of welfare package for university staff. Also, for more than seven months, government failed to revert to our 2009 Agreement on this matter. The Babalakin Renegotiating Committee was set up to address the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement in entirety. The ongoing action by our members is not, strictly speaking, about the Babalakin Committee. We do not have any serious problem with the Committee for now. The concern of our members in the ongoing strike action is the implementation of the understanding reached with government in the wake of the 2016 warning strike – those actionable issues with timelines. A key provision in the 2009 Agreement is that it would be renegotiated every three years. Part of our demands in the 2016 warning strike also the renegotiation of the agreement which had been due for review since 2012. Based on the pressure to review the 2009 agreement, government went into the issue of the Needs Assessment, which does not cover the entirety of the agreement of 2009. The Babalakin Committee is now for the 2009 Agreement and we don’t have any problem with the Babalakin Committee for now. We are in talks with that committee. So, what necessitated this on-going strike? As I said earlier, our members were forced into the current strike action because government failed to implement the actionable issues on which we reached understanding at the instance of the Senate last year November. You will remember that, last year, we moved to the National Assembly because the Senate President intervened and we brought out all these issues that were pending – payment of fractions of lecturers’ salaries in federal universities and non-release of subvention to state universities by governors; non-release of operational license of NUPEMCO; arrears of EAA; fund for revitalization; withdrawal of funding for staff school; retirement benefits of professors; TSA; and renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement. Government agreed to do certain things which were time bound. Like? For example, the issue of Earned Academic Allowances. Government said before it could release any additional fund, it would carry out a forensic audit and that would be competed within six months. We said we didn’t have any problem with that. Eight months after, that has not been done. What we are saying today is that there were areas that were actionable based on our understanding of last year for which nothing is being done within the time frames. An issue like paying lecturers a fraction of their salaries was not something to be re-negotiated. When you talk of registration of NUPENCO – our pension fund administrator – that was not something new. We also believe that the need for revitalization of public universities has been settled scientifically by a Committee set up by government itself. Why not follow the negotiated timeline for the release of the revitalization fund? Government started, paid only once and stopped. This is unacceptable. But some people would argue that N220billion every year in the light of current realities is unrealistic… The realistic thing we are talking about here is the time that has passed, since 2013. If you cannot do all, there is always provision for review. It’s only going to be fair that for four years we have not insisted on faithful implementation. Look, it is not about funds being available, it is about government seeing education as a priority, that is the issue here. Within this period, government has bailed out the banking sector, power, aviation to the tune of trillions of Naira. If government sees education as a priority issue, it would be given the desired attention by government. Okay, is ASUU open to negotiations with government on the issues because of the economic situation in the country now? We have always discussed with government as patriots. We are discussing this now because four years have passed. for instance, we are not insisting that the whole outstanding N825 billion for revitalization fund should be released now. We are open to ideas on what government can do in the immediate, while new plans can be worked out for releasing the balance. Our point, however, is that government cannot repudiate the revitalization fund on the excuse of the so-called economic recession. What we are saying is that government should show commitment by paying, at lease one year, after four years of non-payment. There’s the notion in town that you have already submitted your new proposals to the federal government that was why you didn’t show up for the follow-up meeting (last week)… Nothing like new proposal. Please let’s not get it mixed up. What happened was that the Federal Government in their letter of 16th August gave us its new positions on issues that we had reached an understanding on before – last year. And what we said was that now that you have new positions, we needed to go back, as is the practice with ASUU, to all our members to to take inputs from them. We practice bottom-top model of decision-making in ASUU. And that was what we did. We have consulted our members and they have made input into our response on every issue that government put forward. We conveyed this feedback to government vide a letter on 28th August, 2017 as promised at our meeting with them on 17th August. Deliberations were still going on the content of our letter where pressures were coming that we should attend a meeting at the office of the Minister of Labour and Employment. That meeting was premature and the concerned Minister himself later agreed with us on this position. *Would it be fair to say, as some are saying, that this government met the mess on ground and it could not be directly held responsible for it, without prejudice to the understanding reached last year? Well, governance is a continuum. Every new government inherits both assets and liabilities. From an objective assessment, I don’t think we can honestly absolve any particular government of blame in respect of their lackadaisical attitude to the matter of education since the return to civilian administration in 1999. Look at the budgetary allocation to education, for instance. Allocation in the last two years of this government hovers between 6% and 7%. Although they will claim that there has been increase naira-wise, this pales to lesser funds when the twin factors of inflationary trends and devaluation of the currency are taken into account. So, we have not seen any radical departure from the past trends of relegating educational financing, particularly the issue of revitalization of public universities, to the background in the reckoning of the Nigeria’s political class. Can we be privy to some of the new positions of government on some issues? These are issues under discussion. We don’t want to prejudice the process. The issues will soon be public knowledge, once our discussion on them resume very soon again. What was the reaction of your members upon discovering that the understanding already reached last year is being reviewed again? ASUU strike Naturally, our members nationwide were angry. They felt that we were succumbing to pressure and blackmail from government. For them, nothing should be taken away from the minimum promised upon which we stopped short of proceeding on full-blown strike action as from November 2016. Honestly, it was really difficult convincing them the need to take another look at some of the issues. But, certainly, there are issues which are not ‘negotiable’. For instance, there is not to re-negotiate about outstanding arrears of salary fractions or the allowances our members have already earned. Same goes for Staff School, NUPEMCO, entitlements of retired professors, outstanding subventions for State Universities. What is the way our in the immediate term and what do you think is the long term solution to this crisis? Government needs to take immediate steps to arrest the crisis in university education with particular reference to the public university system. Diligent implementation of our outlined issues in the ongoing dispute would assist in this respect. The long-term solution, however, is for government to reappraise its understanding of the crisis of education in Nigeria. For rather too long, successive administrations have been relying on prescription of external agencies such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The slogan of these agencies and similar ones has always been less government in social services like education and health. It is religious adherent to this slogan that has almost killed public primary and secondary education sub-sectors in Nigeria. But, for ASUU, our public universities would have also been heading for complete obscurity like the lower levels. What I am saying in essence is that government should declare a state of emergency on Nigerian education for the next five years during which we take complete stock of such issues like the philosophy that should drive public education, curricula being implemented, financing and governance. In other words, we need a complete overhaul of the entire sector in order to make our education drive our development as a country. ASUU members are also parents, what would you have to tell other parents some of who think ASUU is being self-centred? University education is too important to be treated with levity. The quality of education our children are receiving in the universities is more important than issuing them worthless paper qualifications. We should all support ASUU to restore the integrity of our children’s degrees to what they used to be in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. And the best way to do this is to prevail on Federal Government to remain focused on revitalizing our universities for quality university education and national development. This is what is being done in some other African countries like Ghana, South Africa and Kenya where Nigerians migrate in search of university education. But you will surprised to know that, in most cases, these African universities rely on seasoned academics who have been frustrated out Nigeria to enhance the quality of the university education. What is the irreducible minimum your members want from this government? Operators of this government of “change” should transform Nigeria’s public university system by addressing the welfare needs of academics who constitute the heartbeat of the system. They should also diligently address the needs for facilities, equipment, services and governance as outlined in the 2012 Needs Assessment Report. The starting point for all these is the implementation of the seven issues with time-lines in the current dispute.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/09/university-lecturers-strike-ll-end-asuu-tells-fg/