Author: Lawal AbdulSalam Olawale

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has given the Federal Government a three-week ultimatum to address its demands in order to avert an industrial action.

 

Chairperson ASUU Federal University Dutse, FUD, Branch in Jigawa State, Comrade Salim Ahmed gave the warning at an emergency press conference held at FUD, ASUU Secretariat in Dutse

 

According to him, “the Members of the Expanded Executive Officers of the ASUU Federal University Dutse met today, Wednesday, 19th June 2024, to consider and take a look at the patriotic engagements of the Union with the Federal and State governments on how best to address all the lingering problems bedeviling Nigerian Public Universities”.

 

He said ASUU observed that the present administration deliberately ignored the leadership of the Union since its inception on 29th May, 2023.

All efforts were put in place by the leadership of the Union to get the government to convene a meeting and listen to ASUU in order to iron out the contending issues, as contained in the International Labour Organization, ILO’s principle of collective bargaining, have failed,” he said.

 

Ahmed said the renegotiation of the FGN/ASUU 2009 agreement contains all the core issues of ASUU Members welfare, University Autonomy, Funding for Revitalization of Nigerian Universities and Proliferations of Public Universities.

 

 

He added that the core issues that pertain to condition of service includes all the contending issues as contained in the FGN/ASUU MoU 2012/2013, and the MoA of 2017, Illegal dissolution of Governing Councils in the Federal and State Universities, Release of three and a half (7) months of the outstanding three and a half (7 ) months withheld salaries for a work that was already done.

 

“Others are release of the unpaid salaries of our members on sabbatical, adjunct, etc due to IPPIS inadequacy and inefficiency, release of third party deductions by IPPIS, payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), implementation of the report of the visitation Panels and adoption of UTAS in place of IPPIS.

Based on all these, the members of our great union in this branch, like those of the other branches, are believing that the Federal Government is unwilling to decisively address the outstanding issues with the union, therefore, in line with the directives from the National secretariat, we resolved to hold a press conference and let the parents, the stakeholders in university education know of the situation and to be sensitized and well informed of the failure of the government to address these lingering issues.

 

“The general public should be aware of the true state of affairs.”

 

Ahmed disclosed that the union would, within the next three weeks, set machinery in motion to further mobilize its members and sensitize them for further action.

The union calls on all well-meaning discerning minds to prevail on Nigerian Government to attend to these outstanding issues and meet with our union leadership so as to avert an unnecessary and avoidable industrial crisis in our already frail and weak university system,” Ahmed added.

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has registered 768 businesses in Jigawa between 2001 to date.

 

The agency also destroyed expired, banned and unwholesome goods worth N36 million in the state.

 

Its Coordinator, Mr Ali Mshelia, said this on Monday in Dutse at a one-day sensitisation exercise for business owners in the state.

Mshelia said the 768 registered entities offered 3,840 job opportunities to the residents of the state.

 

According to him, the agency is ensuring that only safe, efficacious and wholesome regulated products are available to the people.

He, therefore, enjoined the businesses to support the agency in its drive towards ensuring the circulation of certified regulated products for human consumption.

Earlier, Mrs Josephine Dayilim, the Director, North-Eest zone of the agency, said the exercise is designed to build the capacity of businesses to produce quality and safe products.

 

The agency decided to embark on a nationwide workshop to educate stakeholders on better ways to ensure that Nigerians enjoy better processed and persevered products.

 

“I want to emphasis the importance of adhering to regulatory standards. Your success is intertwined with the trust your customers place in your products.

 

It is not only a legal requirement, but a moral obligation to prioritise the safety and well-being of those who consume, what you produce or sale,” Dayilim said.

 

She said the participants would be exposed to good retail, manufacturing, hygiene and operations practices as well as proper application of agrochemicals.

 

One of the participants, Mr Umar Babayaro from ATWAP, commended the gesture, adding that the skills learnt would sanitise the regulated business environment in the state.

 

The excise was attended by members of the Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP); National Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED), Agrochemical Dealers, Micro, and Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMES), among others.

The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Administration and Control, Prof Moji Adeyeye, has urged Nigerians to refrain from storing cooked food in the refrigerator for more than three days.

 

Adeyeye warned that cooked food stored in the refrigerator for days is susceptible to contamination by disease-causing pathogens, key agents of foodborne diseases that can lead to death.

 

Adeyeye made this known in a statement on Tuesday signed by the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola.

 

Adeyeye, who said this in commemoration of the 2024 World Food Safety Day with the theme, ‘Food Safety: Prepare for the Unexpected’, urged stakeholders in the food supply chain to take deliberate actions to institute a food safety culture in their operations to mitigate food hazards and risks that could compromise food safety.

 

The World Food Safety Day celebrated annually on June 7 was established by the United Nations General Assembly task force in 2018 to raise awareness and encourage efforts to prevent, detect and address public health risks linked to unsafe food.

 

The statement partly read, “She however, urged Nigerians to refrain from storing cooked food in the refrigerator for more than three days, warning that cooked food stored in the refrigerator for days is susceptible to contamination by disease-causing pathogens, key agents of foodborne diseases that can lead to death.”

 

Adeyeye remarked that food safety is not only important for public health but a sine qua non for economic development and food security.

She noted that food safety is a collective responsibility, adding that everyone from producers to consumers needs to play their part to ensure food safety.

 

According to her, the campaign aims to promote global food safety awareness to strengthen efforts of preventing, detecting, and managing foodborne risks globally by highlighting the importance of being prepared for food safety incidents.

 

“Let us all stay true to the statements ‘food safety is everyone’s business’ and ‘food safety is a shared responsibility’ as we celebrate this year’s World Food Safety Day. Working together, we will continue to strengthen our food safety system, ensuring its resilience, robustness, and preparedness for the unexpected,” she said.

 

According to the World Health Organisation, an estimated 600 million – almost one in 10 people in the world – fall ill after eating contaminated food, and 420,000 die every year, resulting in the loss of 33 million healthy life years.

 

WHO said $110bn is lost yearly in productivity and medical expenses resulting from unsafe food in low- and middle-income countries.

 

Also, the Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Mrs Eva Edwards, alerted that foodborne diseases are expensive, yet they are preventable.

 

Edwards emphasised the significance of food as a necessity for human life, stressing that it can also be a source of harm if not handled properly

 

MultiChoice, the parent company of DStv and GOtv, has recently announced a return to its previous subscription rates following a legal mandate.

 

 

 

The decision comes after a court ruling deemed the earlier price hikes unjustified, leading to significant subscriber losses, particularly in Nigeria.

The company had raised its prices in response to economic challenges, including high inflation and currency devaluation. However, the move faced backlash, resulting in over a million subscribers discontinuing their services.

As part of the reversal, DStv subscribers will see a reduction in rates across various packages. For instance, the DStv Premium package will now cost N29,500, down from N37,000. Similarly, the DStv Compact+ package will be priced at N19,800, reduced from N25,000. The adjustments also extend to other packages such as DStv Compact Bouquet, DStv Confam, DStv Yanga, and DStv Padi.

 

GOtv customers can also expect price reductions, with the GOtv Super+ package now priced at N12,500, down from N15,700. The GOtv Super package will be available at N7,600, reduced from N9,600, while the GOtv Jinja package will cost N2,700, down from N3,300.

 

 

 

Despite the court ruling, there is uncertainty regarding whether MultiChoice will adhere to the order to provide a month of free subscription. The company has expressed its intention to challenge the ruling, citing concerns about its impact on their business model.

 

 

 

The decision to revert to old prices is expected to alleviate the financial burden on customers, particularly in the face of challenging economic conditions.

A socio-political group, The Collective Movement (TCM) has asked Muslims to pray for Nigeria’s Economy,and Security as they celebrate festival of sacrifice, Eid-ul-Adha.

 

Eid-ul-Adha, also known as Bakrid, is the second-most significant festival in the Islamic calendar, following Eid al-Fitr.

 

TCM urges the Muslim faithful to use the celebration to reflect fervently on the nation, particularly on the present economic and security situation.

 

The Collective Movement, in a statement signed by its director of media, Ndubuisi Nwachukwu, urged them to pray for a quick turnaround of the country’s economy among other challenging issues bedeviling the country.

 

The group appealed to the faithful to remember the divine call of God for man to subdue nature and use it for the common good, and the nation at large.

 

According to TCM, as Eid-ul Adha is an occasion to remember the sacrifices Prophet Ibrahim made in obedience to the will of God.

 

Our political leaders are therefore called to make sacrifices that would improve the living conditions of the citizenry, instead of pursuing personal gains that appear to have plunged the country where it is today.

 

The Movement also advised elected officials at the three tiers of government, including political appointees to inculcate in themselves a sense of sacrifice that puts others and the country first.

 

The Federal Government has declared Monday, June 17, and Tuesday, June 18, 2024, as public holidays to celebrate this year’s Eid-ul-Adha, observed by Muslim faithful worldwide.

 

Commonly called the “Festival of Sacrifice,” it commemorates the devotion of Prophet Ibrahim and the survival of his son, Ishmael. The story behind Eid al-Adha is rooted in the biblical account of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismail, to obey Allah. However, just as Abraham was about to sacrifice his son, an angel intervened, instructing him to sacrifice a lamb instead.

 

The faithful are expected to be engaged in communal prayers and marking the day with the slaughtering of their sacrifices – camel, sheep, goats – sharing food and visiting neighbours on this special and religious occasion

The Kwara state Independent Electoral Commission on Sunday released the timetable for the state’s local government elections scheduled for September 21,2024.

 

 

 

A statement signed by the Chairman of KWASIEC, Alhaji Mohammed Okanla, noted that the activities for the election will commence on Friday, June 21, 2024 with a meeting with the leadership of the registered political parties.

 

Following the recent announcement of September 21, 2024 as the date for the conduct of elections for the offices of chairmen and councillors for the 16 local government areas of Kwara State, the Kwara state Independent Electoral electoral commission on Sunday released the timetable of activities leading to the exercise,” the statement read

It said that the primary elections of the political parties would be held between Monday, June 24 and Sunday, June 30,2024.

 

Political parties will obtain and return nomination forms KWSIEC 01 and KWSIEC 02 for Chairmanship and Councilorship Elections between Monday July 1st– 5th July, 2024, while the “Verification of Candidates’ credentials will hold between Monday 8th — Friday 19th July, 2024,” it added.

 

 

 

The statement further said that “Display of names of Candidates Nominated by Political Parties to be posted on KWSIEC notice board between Monday July 22nd and Friday 26th July ,2024.

 

 

 

“Training of Ad-hoc Staff in all the three senatorial Districts will hold between Saturday July 27th and Wednesday July 31st, 2024.”

 

 

 

It also said that the last day for withdrawal of Candidate for the election by the political parties if the need be is Monday August 5th, 2024.while the last Day for publication of list of nominated candidates is fixed for Tuesday, August 6th, 2024.

 

 

 

The statement added that campaign for the elections by the political parties will start on: Monday August 19th and end on the midnight of Thursday 19th September, 2024. while the election day for chairmanship and councilorship positions is scheduled for September 21, 2024.

 

 

 

The statement also said that collection of certificate of returns by winners of the elections at the KWASIEC office will hold on Monday, September 23rd, 2024

The Federal Government has declared Monday, June 17 and Tuesday, June 18, 2024, public holidays to mark this year’s Eid-el-Kabir festival.

 

In a statement on Friday signed by the Ministry of Interior’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Aishetu Ndayako, quoted the minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, as congratulating all Muslim Ummah both at home and in the Diaspora on the occasion.

 

Tunji-Ojo called on the Muslim Ummah to continue to imbibe the spirit of peace, kindness and sacrifice, as exemplified by Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be upon Him) and to also use the period to pray for unity, prosperity and the stability of the country.

 

The statement added, “The minister reiterated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration was committed to safeguarding the lives and property of all Nigerians.

 

He further enjoined all Muslim faithful and Nigerians in general to support, cooperate and join hands with the president in his sustained efforts to diversify the economy and progressively accelerate the pace of the nation’s economic recovery.

 

“While wishing the Muslim Ummah a happy Eid-el-Kabir celebration, the Minister advised all Nigerians to take responsibility in the resolve to hand over a prosperous Nigeria to the nation’s children.”

 

PUNCH online earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu would depart Abuja, the nation’s capital, for Lagos State on Friday ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir festival.

 

In a statement on Friday by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, Tinubu will observe Eid-el-Kabir in Lagos, where he will also spend the Sallah holidays.

 

It added: “The President will mark the occasion with prayers and reflection on advancing the transformation of Nigeria in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda.”

 

PUNCH online had reported that the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, declared Sunday, June 16, as Eid-el-Kabir day after affirming that Friday is the first day of Dhul Hijjah.

 

Sultan disclosed this in a statement on Friday by the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs to the Sultanate Council, Sambo Junaid, in Sokoto State.

 

“His Eminence, the Sultan felicitates with Nigeria’s Muslim Ummah and wishes them Allah’s guidance and blessings.

 

“The Sultan, while urging the Muslim Ummah to continue to pray for peace, progress and development of the country, also wishes all Muslims a Happy Eid-El-Kabir. May Allah (SWT) accept our religious deeds, amen,” the Sultanate council said in the statement.