- Kogi varsity workers protest over IPPIS, N40bn sharing
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, on Tuesday, said it cannot guarantee social distancing in crowded classes and congested hostels .
The union also said the government was yet to put safety measures in place at learning centres amid the second wave of the pandemic .
According to ASUU National President , Biodun Ogunyemi , the safety of university lecturers and students is a priority , adding that the union is worried that university professors are dying of COVID -19.
Ogunyemi spoke in Abuja while featuring on a television programme monitored by The PUNCH .
He said , “ We have not seen government and university authorities taking concrete steps to access the level of safety for our members and for our students .
“ In as much as we are ready to go back , we are ready to put in extra efforts but it appears that government is not doing enough to address the two emergencies that we have – the emergency in the health sector as well as the emergency in the educational sector .
“ Take for instance, how can we ensure or assure social distancing in crowded classes and congested hostels ? Our hostels, are they fumigated? The classrooms , what flexible arrangements should be in place ? I ’ m not sure universities can cope. ”
Speaking on Tuesday, the ASUU president said the NUC and the government were yet to enforce all Covid guidelines in the universities . The don also said the government should visit universities in the country and ensure all Covid protocols were in place just as it did before the reopening of the aviation sector .
Ogunyemi further said lecturers are working on an alternative mode of learning , noting that some lecturers will blend virtual and physical classes to avoid overcrowding and maintain social distancing at universities.
“ But the universities don’ t have functional ICT ( Information Communications Technology ) infrastructure and you need some huge funds to do this , ” he stated.
“ People are saying start virtual classes but we know that more than 60 per cent of our students will run into problems because they cannot afford data on their own and the wifi you are expected to see on campuses are not there . We have this limited capacity where government should come in and ensure that the university environment is conducive for alternative models of teaching and learning, ” Ogunyemi added .
NUT gives condition for resumption in states
The Nigeria Union of Teachers has expressed readiness to return to class but warned that it would declare trade disputes with states indebted to workers up to four months ’ salaries.
The organisation said since teachers had wasted about five months at home because of COVID -19, they would return to classes as they had known how to take precautions.
The Secretary -General of NUT , Mike Ene , stated this in an interview with The PUNCH .
Asked to respond to preparations for resumption after the expiration of the January 18 dateline by the Federal Government that schools should reopen, he said , “ Yes, we will want to resume . Why not , if not ? I don’ t think anything will make us not resume. We are ready , but the places where we will not resume are in states where government is owing workers , especially states where government is owing four months to any set of workers , either primary and secondary schools. We have asked our teachers to stay at home in such states .
“ Besides that, we are very ready . Don ’ t forget that during COVID -19, we wasted about five months at home. So , I don’ t think anything now will make us not to resume. Even though there is this second wave , as teachers , we have known how to take precautions .
“ As I speak , I cannot quote the states that are owing because we just started collecting the data, we have just written all the states to tell us the details about payment.
“ But we have declared a strike in Abia State and so our teachers in Abia State commenced strike on Monday .
“ Abia State is owing several months salaries of between 12 and 15 months for both primary and secondary schools and other various things they are owing . ”
Kogi varsity workers protest over IPPIS, N40bn sharing
Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities, Federal University Lokoja, Kogi State , on Tuesday, embarked on a peaceful protest, to herald the three – day warning strike notice it issued the Federal Government .
As early as 8 am , the placard-carrying university workers took over the gates and other areas on the Adankolo campus of the institution .
In a statement by the chairman , SSANU/Joint Action Committee, Uche Onyedi, the workers threatened a complete shutdown of the varsity in the event of failure by the government to implement the Memorandum of Understanding entered into by the parties .
It read , “ You recall that the JAC of NASU and SSANU had a 14-days warning strike which started from midnight of 4th of October and ended on 12 midnight 18th of October , 2020.
“ As a result of the warning strike by NASU /SSANU, an eight-point MoU was signed by JAC of SSANU and NASU on one hand , other stakeholders of the Federal Government on the other hand , at the instance of the Federal Ministry of LaLolbour and Employment , Abuja , on the 20th of October , 2020, in which a committee was constituted to look at our demands with a view to mapping out ways of solving them .
“ Very unfortunately, the Federal Government reneged on its promises to implement the agreements contained in the MoU.
“ You are aware that there are glaring inconsistencies in the IPPIS payment platform , non -payment of allowances , non -payment of arrears of minimum wage consequential adjustments, delay in renegotiation of the 3009 agreements, very poor funding of state-owned universities , lack of visitation panels to universities for a very long time, non – payment of retirement benefits.
“ We are asking the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency implement the MoU now , to avoid closing down the university for another year . ”
Source: The Punch
