Latest News In Nigeria This Night, Sunday (1/11/2020)

The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), negotiation to end the ongoing industrial Strike action by the lecturers is currently stalled because of the refusal of the Federal government to pay the withheld salaries and allowance of the workers through other means than the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, IPPIS, our correspondent has gathered. ASUU is strongly opposed to the use of IPPIS as the payment platform in the university system. University lecturers and teachers across Nigeria, especially, those owned by the FG, are owed between four and eight months salaries

Speaking in a chat with our correspondent on Sunday, the National President of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi said;

“The 1st step to resolving the impasse is for the Federal government to pay the withheld salaries and allowances of our unified members. It is between four (4) and eight (8) months.

“You can't tell a person whose salaries have been seized unjustifiably to go back and resume work. Moreover, the salaries must be paid through the normal channel,” 

He continued:

“Doing that would help in resolving other issues and make things return to normal. But for the government to insist on IPPIS, there may be trouble still.

“They are yet to enrol over 70% of all our members on IPPIS. It will take them between 3 to 6 months to do so.

“They are setting a curny trap saying we should enrol on IPPIS first and then they will migrate us to our own University Transparency and Accountability System, UTAS, that is even uneconomical when UTAS can be used to enrol us in a very short time,”he said.

Ifeanyi Okowa Delta State Governor, said they were building a new Nigeria with the youths, maintaining that they would continue to allow youths, including females, to be part of the governance process so as to teach and build them for the future. Speaking at a Town Hall meeting with representatives of #ENDSARS protesters, he said:

“You must truly and willing to organise yourselves in truth with a common goal, purpose and focus of whoever you select must stand for the common good of others. We are building a new Nigeria with the youths and we must shun acts capable of reducing us when we leave office.

“We will continue to allow and let youths, including females, to be part of the governance process because in learning you are building yourself for the future. If you are a youth and you want to be active in politics you must respect your leaders and you must learn to pray a lot.

“I am encouraged to see many more youths go into politics and I hope it is for the right reasons. I know we have some youths representing their people but are they showing examples to others? He said.

The Governor of River State Nyesom Wike, has frowned at flagrant of COVID-19 regulations by churches and religious centers in the state. He threatened to impose a fresh restrictions on worship centres. He said at the Saint Thomas Anglican Church in Mile 2 Diobu, in Port Harcourt Local Government Area during Chief Azubuike Nmerukini’s family special thanksgiving service in honour of his wife, who survived critical medical condition.

He said:

“85 percent of those who are here are not wearing face mask. That is the problems we have. Nobody is willing to obey simple instruction.

“The mere fact that we have agreed that we should worship and allowed everybody, does not mean that we should disobey the protocol.

“My lord Bishop, encourage our people to wear their face masks. It is very important. If this continues then I will go back and review the restriction to say it cannot be more than a particular number”.

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