Friday 18 October 2013

Ex-Education Minister, Ruqayyatu, Joins ASUU Strike!!

The immediate past education minister, Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai, who was sacked from the federal cabinet last month, has joined the ongoing strike by Academic Staff
Union of Universities, ASUU, which she failed to resolve while in office.

Our source inquiries at Bayero Universities, Kano, BUK, where Mrs Rufai was teaching education Curriculum before joining the Jigawa State cabinet in 2007 as commissioner, and later the federal cabinet in 2011, revealed that though the former minister had returned to the Institution, she could not resume work because of the industrial action.

Public Relations Officer of BUK, Mustapha Zaharaddeen, told Our source in a telephone interview today that the former minister had joined her colleagues in the strike.

�How can she teach? She has joined the strike. She has no choice. How can anybody teach? Don�t forget, ASUU National President is from BUK,� Mr Zaharaddeen said.

When asked if she had joined the ASUU strike, she merely retorted, �It is an unfair question. Ask my University.�

Efforts to reach the ASUU President failed as his mobile telephone number repeatedly indicated it had been switched off.

Meanwhile during her reception in her home state Jigawa after her sack from President Jonathan�s cabinet, she was asked by journalists whether she would join the ASUU strike, which she was negotiating away while in government, she responded �Don�t make me controversial, don�t make me controversial.�

Sounce: VNTI
via Gistactivist

ASUU Decides, Rejects FG Offer, Says Strike Must Go On!!!

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, yesterday, rejected the N130 billion the Federal Government disbursed into the University system, as part of efforts to persuade striking lecturers to call off the strike which began on July 2.

In a letter written to Head of National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy, NEEDs Assessment, and Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswan, by President of ASUU, Dr. Nasir Isa Fagge. The union insisted that based on the 2009 ASUU/FGN agreement and the January 2012 Memoranda of Understanding, MoU, signed by both parties, what was due for 2012 and 2013 was N500 billion, not N100 billion.

The letter read: �We observe that the Committee is so far mentioning only N100 billion. If the implementation is to be related to the funding requirements in the 2009 ASUU/FGN agreement and the Jan 2012 MoU, what is due for 2012 and 2013 is N500 billion not N100 billion. Only the provision of this sum will meet the immediate needs of the Universities.

�Our Union is very apprehensive of the manner in which the sources of the initial N100 billion to be used for the stimulation of the process are shrouded in secrecy. We believe that monies that already belong to the University system should not be blocked and recycled.

�This will not only be counterproductive but will brew even deeper crises in the system. ASUU will not accept this.

�We are also concerned that a clear procedure or process for assessing the funds by the Universities is yet to be defined. This concern is even more germane, given the statement of the Chairman of the Committee (during the last meeting on Monday, August 19, 2013) that the committee is taking some documents to the Due Process Office.

�We hasten to add that while due process must be followed, it is the sole responsibility of benefitting Universities to respect all the provisions of the Procurement Act. The meaning of your Committee going to the Due Process Office is that it is the one that will be responsible for awarding contracts.

�We want to make it clear that this will never be acceptable to our union. We believe that monies meant to fund projects in Universities should be sent to the Universities, just as it is the practice with TETFund.�

The union condemned allocation of construction of 2,500 bed space hostel for N1billion, instead of 3,000 bed space for N1.2 billion.

�We are worried that instead of allocating N1.2 billion each to construct 3,000 bed space hostels to the 10 Category 1 Universities, N1.0 billion for 2,500 bed space hostel to the 16 Category 2 Universities, N500 million to construct 1,250 bed space hostels in the 12 Category 3 Universities and N250 million each to construct 625 bed space hostels in the 13 Category 4 Universities, the secretariat has changed that to constructing 1,400 bed space hostels in 25 Universities at the cost of N2 billion each. We see no rationale in this.

�Expending N50 billion to construct 35,000 bed space hostels across 25 Universities will be ridiculously scandalous since the same amount can be used to construct 125,000 bed space hostels across 51 Universities. The standard cost of building a bed space ranges from N200,000.00 to a maximum of N400,000.00.

�This is even more worrisome, given the tangential suggestions made by the chairman that only monies for refurbishment will be sent to Universities, while the rest will be handled centrally,� the union said.

The union also condemned the exclusion of 22 Universities from the allocation for refurbishment of laboratories and libraries and three Universities from the allocation for refurbishment of lecture theatres and lecture rooms.

According to ASUU, 24 Universities are denied allocation for construction of libraries and laboratories, while two are denied allocation for construction of new lecture theatres and lecture rooms. 26 Universities are denied allocation for construction of hostel.

Source: VNTI
via Gistactivist

Thursday 10 October 2013

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Thursday 3 October 2013

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Thursday 26 September 2013

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Sunday 25 August 2013

CANCER SAGA: I was amused reading my obituaries – Gov Chime

AS he strode to a more relaxing seat from the exalted one where he signs the executive decisions that run Enugu State, Governor Sullivan Iheanacho Chime set the mood for the interview at the Lion Building, Enugu, his official quarters.He sat just a metre away. Our feet could have been touching if he did not cross his in a regal posture that he varied as the interview ran. His towering presence made one instantly think of a basketball professional in other climes. He was snug. He seemed to have put aside the trappings of office for the thrills of this encounter.
The handshake was firm, not beyond a clench that could have suggested bellicosity. He was in high spirits, discussing his health with unpractised frankness. “I was amused reading the reports about me, especially the several obituaries,” he said, as he went on talking about his recovery.
A long queue of guests was waiting for him. He was to conclude the day’s business by 4am and was back at work after a few hours’ sleep. It is a routine he maintains. Enugu, the challenges of re-inventing a 101-year-old city, and his joy at the opening of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport radiated as he accounted for his six years in office.
With two  years to the end of his administration, Governor Chime talked as if he was writing his handing over notes.  He bantered and countered as we talked Enugu politics, the opposition andhis position on  2015  and the race to succeed him.
“It may be interesting to know if those who opposed the building of the mall at Polo Park are not among  the  regular shoppers,” he joked  about the fiery army of opposition, whose voices are drowning in the flood of plaudits over his performance.
A lawyer by training, but  a  practical  politician dedicated to the people, he said  the matter of Nsukka (Enugu North) producing the next governor was not a promise, but an agreement  that equity and justice support. “It did not have to be written, such things are never written,” he said.
What follows is  Governor  Chime,  mostly in his own words…
2015 For Nsukka
The issue of Nsukka  producing the governor in 2015, it is actually Enugu North senatorial district – let me make the clarification before some think I mean Nsukka  town  – has evolved. Some are contesting  it;  some claim there is no agreement to that effect. I think it is more than an agreement. It is a promise that evolved from an understanding we have about  peaceful transitions in the State.
A bit of the background could help in establishing that the matter has gone beyond  promise, agreement to a case  of equity and justice. In 1999, the contest for the governorship was open to all the zones. Governor Chimaroke Nnamani won and did a second term. In 2007, it was open again. Aspirants from all the zones participated, I won. By 2011, most candidates withdrew from the contest because of the enormous support that I had. The real players in Enugu North said it made sense for me to complete two terms.
Gov. Chime
Gov. Chime
The traditional rulers, in particular, told contestants from Enugu  North that they would not get support; it was a sort of disclaimer. Nobody from the North contested in our party (PDP), but other parties fielded candidates. What I did at the town hall meeting was to re-echo what we all knew. Nobody writes such things as agreements. The most important aspect of it is the matter of equity and justice that is involved.
Governors from 1999 to date are from  Enugu East and Enugu West senatorial districts. By the time I complete my second term, Enugu East and Enugu West would have occupied the position for 16 years. Is any argument required for anyone to know that equity  and justice demand  that the next governor should be from Enugu North? I went into these details to prove that we have an agreement, a gentleman’s agreement; it is an understanding, one that would work best for the interest of our State and its peoples.
The Next Two  Years
We have spent these years laying the foundations for future governments. They have to take a cue from where we stop.  There is a blue print for developing the State. It is not about individuals, it is not centred on me as the governor. It is about the people, it is about projects that would benefit the people. I am not naming anything after myself. We are doing all we can to complete all projects. We would not burden the incoming administration with uncompleted projects.  The next two years would be used in completing projects that would firm up the foundations we laid.
Key Projects
We have done many road projects and we are continuing.  We are opening up the State, making it easier for people to move around as they explore the investment opportunities we are creating. We have also constructed roads that have shortened distances between parts of the State. The one from Abakpa Nike to Nsukka is almost finished. Once completed, the journey from Enugu to Nsukka town would be under 30 minutes, making Nsukka closer to Enugu than some  parts of Enugu. We have done more roads in Enugu North than in Enugu East.
When we were building the mall, people criticised it, the same way they criticised  other projects.It may be interesting to know if those who opposed the building of the mall at Polo Park are not among the regular shoppers. An industrial park is being built, the  state secretariat is under construction. We pulled down the buildings that had no character.   Some of the ones left date back to 1928, but they were built with stone. We are leaving them for their historical importance, again they are strong. In those cases we are renovating them.
Like the mall in Polo Park, those who screamed when we were pulling down the old structures at the secretariat, are among those amazed at the new structures replacing them. We are building a new government house. All these would be completed before we leave. Others areas that have engaged our attention are agriculture, education, industrialisation, job creation and empowerment of our people.
Diagnostic Centre
One of the earliest projects that this administration started was a diagnostic centre. It would have been commissioned before the completion of my first term. Things went wrong with the construction. We had to pull  down the building  and start again. We  are aware that no modern city  can operate without sound medical facilities. I know that some would think that we are constructing the centre because of my illness, it was conceived and was being built before I fell ill last year.
New Enugu, Centenary City
The Centenary City to mark 100 years of Nigeria is under construction. We have a Workers’ Village too in addition to some housing estates that investors are building. These are expanding the city.  We are changing the look of the city. The changes are more profound than people think.The projects we have executed have changed Enugu from a civil service city to investors’ hub.
Government   is  supporting  investors  with the provision of infrastructure.  The road networks that we have established have made access to the  new parts of the city easier. We  have revoked  lands  allocated  to some who have become speculators. There are allocations that some people got  20 to 30 years  ago and failed to develop them. We have revoked and re-allocated them. The move has resulted in  people utilising their allocations.
Financing Projects
Resources to execute our projects  have  been a major challenge. We refrain from borrowing as much as possible. What we have been doing is prudent management of the resources we get from the federation account. We operate within our resources. We have also improved our internally generated revenue.
How  Airport  Would  Help Enugu
The impact of the airport would not be limited to Enugu State. It would impact on businesses in the South East and beyond. Travellers and business people that find the airport in Enugu nearer to them would use it. So we are in a situation where people in Delta, other South South States and the North Central would use the airport.
Gov Chime
Gov Chime
We are confident that the impact would be great. The airport would facilitate  businesses and we expect that as it grows and schedules include other parts of the world, Enugu would be the major hub in this part of the country with a spread of services that would benefit other areas. The impact of an airport therefore cannot be limited, the uses that result from its presence would show and soon the impact would be obvious with the attendant multiplier effects of having such an important facility here.
Security Issues
Enugu is rated the safest State in Nigeria. The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar said so. We are still improving our security. People arriving Enugu for business or pleasure should harbour no fears. We are assisting the police in the construction of facilities for their air wing at the airport. It was one of the issues we settled with the Inspector General of Police during a visit to Enugu. The facility would be in use before the end of the year. It would be used for air surveillance of the South East zone.
Investors’ Hub
We call this city an investors’ hub and the facilities are rising to meet the challenges. The international airport (that was formally  opened yesterday)  is part of the main infrastructure that would facilitate the realisation of this ambition. We are also looking forward to the rails being resuscitated.
Our administration would  help with  the provision of land. The issues of tax holidays are determined in Abuja but we would offer any assistance that we can.    We have secured a licence for our own  cement  company. We are working with  Lafarge  on the project. The State has  proven reserves of limestone for the cement factory.
Challenges From Electricity, Water
We still have challenges with water. We are tackling them. Electricity is another area of interest for us. We have several offers that are tied to the natural resources we have. The abundant reserves of gas in Ugwuoba and coal in Amansi-Odo would serve the electricity projects well.
His Health
I am fine. I am not sick. I attend public functions. Some people insist on drawing their own conclusions. What I went through was millions of miles away from what people thought. A routine medical check revealed cancer cells, but they were benign. Since they were discovered early, they were nipped. They had not  spread. It was nothing serious and the technology for the treatment was available.
The   treatment   (chemotherapy) was harsh.  It is not something that I can describe, but I am grateful to God that I went through it successfully.  I  am recovering from  the treatment. Itaffected  my normal cells; they  are re-growing. Doctors predicted that recovery would take up to a year that is  time  for the effects of the treatment to wear off.
I was reading all the stories  about me.  I was amused reading the reports about me, especially the several obituaries. I still required  regular check-ups for evaluation of the progress  of the cell, the re-growth. The regular checks were in March, May and June.   I needed evaluation every six weeks. The most recent evaluation  showed no  signs of affected cells. I would be there again on August 30. I believe that I would not require frequent checks after that.
Next Governor’s Agenda
I cannot impose any agenda on the next administration, but   I do not  think the administration would   have much  choice  than following the blue print. We have taken the State to the pointwhere it makes sense for future governments to continue in similar directions.
The next governor would have his priorities. His  greatest  challenge would be when he deviates from programmes that would benefit the people. He would have the people to contend with not me, that is why I say that the choices available to future governments are limited to providing services to the people.  All we have done are for the people, who have learnt that government is meant to serve them. Anyone who acts to the contrary would answer to the people,  not  me.
Source: Vanguard

Saturday 24 August 2013

Kanye replies President Obama’s diss


Kris Jenner really milked the interview with Kanye.(Anyone bored?)Now, she got him to respond to president Obama’s earlier diss of their lifestyle.He said ”

““Kids weren’t monitoring every day what Kim Kardashian was wearing, or where Kanye West was going on vacation, and thinking that somehow that was the mark of success.
This is what Kanye said when asked by Kris Jenner(who earlier replied..)) about his thoughts on Obama’s diss…
“So Obama basically said we’re the new American dream. I think he was posing it like I was supposed to take it in a negative way, but I’m just so happy that the president mentions me so often. Thank you very much, Obama! I do think people should want to go on vacation or travel, because that’s what opens people’s minds. When I was in 5th grade, we went to China and I lived there for a year and I could speak Chinese… Also because my dad lived in an area that was mostly white and my mom stayed in Chicago in an area that’s mostly black and has gang activity, I had to navigate all these worlds. That scope is what I brought into my creations, to the music I make, to the clothing I make. When I design a shoe with Nike, that’s mentality is what I brought. So as Obama is talking about that, yes, they’re looking at what she’s wearing and where we’re going for vacation because this is the way we relate to this new information age. There will be new people getting passports and wanting to travel. They’ll hear songs like “N—-s in Paris” and they’ll be like, “I want to be a n—a in Paris!