So if the United States takes military action against Syria, what could be next?
1. Failure
The strike fails to deter dictator Bashar Assad from continuing his slaughter of civilians to put down a more-than-two-year rebellion. Such a flouting of President Obama could put pressure on the United States to ramp up military action, given that it has crossed the line into the use of U.S. military force.
2. Retaliation from Syria
Syria launches attacks on neighbor Israel to try to draw a response that would threaten to fragment the Middle East U.S allies that oppose Assad but do not want to be seen as supporting Israel — states such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
3. Iran emerges
Iran has threatened often to use its naval vessels to cut off the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow point in the Persian Gulf off the coast of Iran where 20% of the world's oil passes. The move would force the U.S. Navy to respond with possible military attacks. Iran, a Shiite Muslim theocracy, can spur large Shiite populations in friendly Arab states to rise up against their leaders.
4. Terrorists strike
Terrorist groups in the Middle East, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, launch attacks against U.S. targets in the region and U.S. allies. Those targets can include bases such as the port for the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet in Bahrain.
5. Russia gains
Russia, which under Vladimir Putin has increased repression at home and is steadily increasing its influence abroad, will become a major player in the Middle East by helping Syria survive the strike. That may strengthen the anti-American axis of Iran and Syria and lead to a further destabilization of a region of important strategic and economic value to Western nations.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
U.N. weapons inspectors have left Syria ahead of schedule amid high anticipation of an imminent U.S. attack.
The Associated Press reports the team of inspectors was seen crossing into Lebanon early Saturday. They carried out their final inspection Friday.
Their departure had been planned for about 9 a.m. Saturday (2 a.m. ET), but NBC News reports they left their hotel in Damascus about 5:30 a.m. in vehicles headed to Beirut, Lebanon.
The weapons inspectors' exit comes after Secretary of State John Kerry laid out the U.S. case for war, Friday.
"History would judge us all extraordinarily harshly if we turned a blind eye to a dictator's wanton use of weapons of mass destruction against all warnings, against all common understanding of decency," Kerry said.
The chemical weapons experts have been working to determine what occurred in the apparent chemical weapons attack near Damascus on Aug. 21, which U.S. intelligence reports say left 1,429 people dead, including 426 children. They have collected samples from victims of the attack.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the five permanent Security Council members that results from the inspection team's findings could take about two weeks, according to NBC News.
Although, the team's report will confirm whether or not chemical weapons were used, it is not expected it will confirm who actually used the weapons.
U.S. and British intelligence reports have presented evidence that the Syrian regime was responsible for the attacks, while the Syrian government maintains that the attack was carried out by rebel forces.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Nigeria's Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke is undoubtedly one of the most powerful ministers in the country at large.
Apart from holding a very sensitive position in the executive council, she also has the ears of President Goodluck Jonathan.
The beautiful woman, we also learnt, had an 'underground' relationship with a Lagos-based Oil and Gas big boy called, Dapo Abiodun.
According to those who know about their affair, Diezani and Dapo dated for a while and while it lasted, both enjoyed it to the fullest both in Nigeria and abroad.
The source said Dapo was the Apple of Alison's eye during the late president Umar Musa Yar'Adua's tenure when she was the Minister of Transportation and later Solid Mineral Resources.
We learnt that affair between Alison and Dapo was closely guided and only a few people in the corridors of power knew of it.
Dapo, who owns Heyden Oil, one of the major players in the oil and gas sector, was alleged by insiders to have gotten more patronage through Alison's influence.
Unfortunately for the love birds, somewhere along the line, we learnt Dapo fumbled and Alison had a bitter fight with him, which made their relationship go sour.
“When Alison Madueke became Minister of Petroleum, she made sure Dapo's Heyden Oil got little or no allocation for the importation of petroleum products, which accounted for serious drop in his fortune.
“The fight is still on, but I know Dapo is trying to find a way back into the woman's heart,” our source disclosed.
However, the source added that Alison, who is married to a former Chief of Naval Staff, Rtd. Admiral Madueke, has stepped up and has no time for Dapo again.
"You know Dapo is a lady’s man, but the minister has told some of her confidants that he belongs to her past now,” our source disclosed.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
A notorious cult leader known as "Black Jesus" has been killed by villagers in Papua New Guinea, police say.
Steven Tari had been on the run since escaping from prison in the northern town of Madang earlier this year.
He was killed at a remote village outside the town on Thursday, a senior police official told local media.
Tari had been serving a lengthy prison term after being convicted in 2010 of raping girls and young women who belonged to his Christian-based sect.
A former bible student, he was also accused of cannibalism although he was only tried for rape, AFP news agency reports.
Provincial police chief Sylvester Kalaut said Tari and one of his followers were attacking a woman, tricked into joining the cult, when villagers from Gal surrounded and killed them.
The National newspaper says he was "chopped to death".
The cult leader is also suspected of killing a schoolgirl earlier this month.
Initial reports showed that Tari "was attacked and killed by locals" after he killed one woman and tried to kill another, the Post-Courier newspaper reports.
Tari was one of 48 people who managed to break out of Madang jail in March.
He had studied to become a Lutheran pastor but disappeared from his theological college after disputing the Bible's teachings.
He previously said he was the "true Christ" and promised his followers great wealth and redemption. Among his disciples were allegedly dozens of sex slaves he called his "flower girls". Before his arrest his sect had thousands of followers in the villages.
In 2007 he was captured by villagers who beat him before handing over to the police.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Men and women who smoke face similar stroke risks, but female smokers may be at greater risk for a more deadly and less common type of stroke, according to a new study.
Researchers examined data from more than 80 international studies published between 1966 and 2013 and found that smoking is associated with a more than 50 percent increased risk of ischemic stroke in both men and women.
An ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke, and occurs when a blood clot blocks blood flow to the brain.
But women who smoked were 17 percent more likely to suffer a bleeding (hemorrhagic) stroke than men who smoked, according to the findings, which were published in the journal Stroke.
The researchers also found evidence that men and women who smoke can significantly reduce their risk of stroke by quitting smoking.
Hormones and the way nicotine affects blood fats may explain the increased risk for bleeding strokes among women who smoke, the study authors said. They noted that women who smoke have greater increases in fats, cholesterol and triglycerides than men who smoke.
“Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for stroke for both men and women, but fortunately, quitting smoking is a highly effective way to lower your stroke risk,” study lead author Rachel Huxley, a professor in the School of Population Health at the University of Queensland, in Australia, said in a journal news release. “Tobacco-control policies should be a mainstay of primary stroke prevention programs.”
Although the research showed an association between women smoking and an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The Nigerian movie industry otherwise known as Nollywood is poised for a showdown as the Association of Nollywood Core Producers,ANCOP, has petitioned EFCC and SFU over the N50 million largesse donated by Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State to support the industry.
The association is alleging massive fraud in the disbursement of the fund. It has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) to investigate the matter
According to a copy of the petition made available to HVP, signed by the association’s President, Comrade Alex Eyengho, the group is asking the agencies to invite the National President of the Association of Movie Producers, AMP, Zik Zulu Okafor, the National President of the Directors Guild of Nigeria, DGN, Andy Amenechi; the Secretary General of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, Yakubu Abubakar and actress Stephanie Okereke- Linus Idahosa for obtaining the fund and disbursing it without the consent of the industry’s stakeholders.
Part of the petition dated August 19, 2013 and addressed jointly to the EFCC and SFU, read thus:
“On June 15, 2013, news broke out that some Nollywood stakeholders under the auspices of a non-existent ‘Guild of Nollywood Stars’ visited Governor Akpabio in his office in Uyo for the purpose of collecting the N50 million pledge to Nollywood.
“The Governor presented to the visitors a prototype post-dated (25-06- 2013) Zenith bank cheque number 00063639 with Akwa Ibom State Government as the account name, issued in favour of Guild of Nollywood Stars. “We also gathered that the Governor, in his usual generosity, gave each of the visitors N500, 000 cash. “Expectedly, the massive publicity given to the entire episode by the press generated heated debates. In fact, it polarised the industry till today.
“Suspecting fraud, ANCOP immediately raised the red flag when it queried the use of a non-existent ‘Guild of Nollywood Stars’ to access the N50 million pledge, by those who visited Governor Akpabio.
“We are demanding that you immediately commence a full-blown investigation into the alleged fraudent act over the N50 million Governor Akpabio gave to Nollywood to carry out a specific task but now domiciled in the account of one of the the over 30 associations and guilds in Nollywood…Sir, anything short of this is an invitation to anarchy in Nollywood.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, Friday, nullified the suspension of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Senator Andy Uba, from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
The court which was presided over by Justice Ahmed R. Mohammed, maintained that the National Working Committee, NWC, of the PDP, attempted to overreach the powers of the court when it wielded the big stick against Andy, his younger brother, Chief Chris Uba and three others, despite being aware of the pendency of a suit that was entered against the party by the plaintiffs.
Others whose suspension was lifted by the court yesterday were the factional Chairman of the party in Anambra state, Chief Ejike Oguebego, Benjamin Udeozor and Mrs Anthonia Nwankwu.
They were ab-initio axed from the party for allegedly conducting a parallel state congress last Saturday where Andy Uba was nominated as the PDP flag-bearer for the impending gubernatorial election in Anambra State.
Meantime, following refusal of the plaintiffs to appear before the NWC of the party to explain the alleged divisive roles they played, which culminated in the nomination of two flag-bearers for the party in Anambra state, PDP, via a letter signed by its Acting National Secretary, Dr Charles Aderemi Akitoye, announced their suspension. R-L Sen Andy Uba and Chris Uba
R-L Sen Andy Uba and Chris Uba
The letter which was addressed to them individually, read: “The National Working Committee, NWC at its 353rd meeting held on Wednesday, 28th August, 2013 reviewed the happenings in Anambra PDP regarding the Anambra Primary Election.
“It was noted that you organized a parallel state congress which was unauthorised by the party contrary to section 58 (1) a, b, c, f, h and j of the PDP constitution (2012 as amended).
“As a result of this, you were invited to meet with the NWC on Wednesday 28, August, 2013 for fair hearing, but you did not appear.
“In view of the seriousness of the issues involved, you are hereby suspended from the party and the case referred to the appropriate Disciplinary Committee for further necessary action”.
However, in his ruling yesterday, Justice Mohammed, noting that PDP was duly served with a copy of an order he made on Thursday, directing it to appear before him and show cause why the court should not abort any move to suspend the plaintiffs from the party, declared the action of the party against Andy Uba and the others a nullity,
“ For all intent and purpose, the 1st defendant was duly aware of the order to appear today to show cause. Does the fact that a defendant is within time to respond to a court summon give it the right to do the same act for which the court asked it to appear before it to give explanation?
“Can a party proceed to render an action before the court a mere academic exercise? Should the court watch helplessly while its authority is desecrated? My answer is No.
“ Court has a duty to safeguard its integrity at all times. The action of the 1st defendant in suspending the plaintiffs despite being aware of the pendency of this suit is a deliberate attempt to overreach this court.
“Any action which has the colouration of sanction against the plaintiffs is interference on the powers of this court.
“In line with the powers imbued on the court by section 6(6) of the 1999 constitution and Order 56 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rule, an interim order is hereby made suspending the suspension of the plaintiffs pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice before the court.
“ I further order that the motion ex-parte be served on the 1st defendant. This case is hereby adjourned till September 5 for the 1st defendant to appear before this court to show cause and for hearing of the plaintiffs’ motion ex-parte,” the court ruled.
Counsel to the PDP, Chief Clems Ezika, earlier told the court that the party was served with a copy of the plaintiffs’ suit yesterday morning, an allegation that was immediately refuted by counsel to the plaintiifs, Mr Abe Taiwo.
Nevertheless, upon careful examination of its record, the court, said it was satisfied that the party was duly served on Thursday, noting that it was one Innocent E. that signed the documents on behalf of the party at its headquarters at the Wadata House at Wuse Zone 6, Abuja.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Passengers were Friday thrown into confusion aboard an Aero Contractors aircraft scheduled to take-off from Lagos to Benin as one of the female passengers started screaming on top of her voice that she was no longer travelling, thus causing panic onboard.
The passenger’s strange behaviour is coming barely one week after a teenage boy, Daniel Ohikena caused scare at the airport when he stowed away on Arik Air plane from Benin to Lagos.
The female passenger whose identity could not be ascertained at press time was said to have been ignored by members of cabin crew and passengers alike but her persistence led to suspicion among the passengers.
An eye-witness who confided in Saturday Vanguard said that the female passenger after boarding the flight screamed on top of her voice that she was no longer willing to travel with the plane.
The strange behaviour, however led to the delay of the Benin- bound aircraft for two hours as all the passengers were asked to disembark while the plane was screened again.
Saturday Vanguard further gathered that all the checked-in luggage were also off-loaded for proper screening by both Aero and Aviation Security, AVSEC, of the Federal Airports authority of Nigeria, FAAN.
But despite the re-screening of the already checked in passengers and their luggage, nothing suspicious was found on board.
It was also learnt that the passenger was handed over to security agents by AVSEC while the other passengers proceeded on the journey to Benin.
According to the source, “All passengers were already onboard and the pilot was preparing to take off before the woman started the strange behaviour.
“At first, no one took her seriously, but when the shouting and soliloquy continued, the passengers became apprehensive and ordered the pilot to abort the flight.
”The situation was not funny at all. In fact, the woman was speaking in a language which no one understood. But I can tell you authoritatively that all the passengers have been taken to Benin with the same aircraft and they landed in the airport safely.
”This was not the first time such an incident would be happening. In fact, it is common among first time travellers but no one knows the motive behind this act. However, I believe the security agents will do their work and reveal what led to the strange behaviour.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
•Detention of arrested persons illegal— NOPRIN… On August 1, 2013, an unprecedented crowd gathered in front of Upper Class Hotel, 8 Market road, Onitsha , Anambra State, to witness its demolition, following the discovery of two human heads and ammunitions by operatives of the Anambra State Police Command.
Consequently, proprietor of the hotel, Mr Bonaventure Mokwe, alongside 13 of his staff were reportedly arrested.
Controversy has however begun to trail the demolition action allegedly on the directive of the Anambra State Government and the continued detention of the suspects.
Although the hotel proprietor’s wife, Mrs Nkiru Mokwe, had earlier cried foul over the demolition of her husband’s hotel, even as she had raised alarm that her husband’s life was in danger.
Throwing its weight behind Mrs Mokwe’s cry of injustice, the Network on Police Reform in Nigeria, NOPRIN, comprising 46 civil society organisations spread across the country,with the aim of promoting police accountability and respect for human rights has described the continuous detention of the suspects without trail as unconstitutional.
Taking a swipe on the state government, NOPRIN also accused operatives of the state command’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad,SARS for working for the interest of politicians, rather than the Nigeria Police Force. It therefore, called on the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar to re-organise SARS with a view to insulating them from abuse of office.
Asserting that there was more to the demolition of the hotel than the alleged discovery of human heads, NOPRIN’s Programme and Advocacy Coordinator, Mr Okechukwu Nwanguma , while briefing newsmen on the development, stated that : “ the Anambra State Government ‘s policy of extralegal demolition of properties of persons accused of crime in the state is condemnable. The state government’s rationalisation that such clearly illegal and primitive action is in line with its policy to sustain the fight against crime and criminality , is preposterous and unfounded in logic and law.
While violent crime plagues Anambra State as most other states in Nigeria and daily assuming a n alarming proportion, nothing whatsoever can justify any crime fighting policy or measure that is contrary to the fundamental law of the country that violates human rights, subverts due process and observance of the rule of law..
“ Among the hallmarks and cardinal principles of democracy include respect for human rights, principle compliance with the due process and observance of the rule of law . Any law enforcement or crime fighting approach that compromises or falls foul of any of these basic democratic principles, will not only be unlawful and criminal but will be counter productive. Democracy is protected by the rule of law. The absence of it will be anarchy which is a threat to democracy.
“The prevailing situation in Anambra State, whereby the state government demolishes property of any person accused of a crime, without any judicial process or valid order of court amounts to lawlessness. It is a policy that promotes self help. It is susceptible to abuse and creates room for the persecution or witch hunting of political opponents or personal vendetta.
Illegal arrest “Mr. Mokwe and 13 of his workers arrested along with him,including a Doctorate Degree student at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, who works part time in the hotel to pay for his studies have remained in detention at SARS Awkuzu till date without any indication from the police as to what next step they want to take.
“Following complaints received by NOPRIN on August 4, that Mr. Mokwe was detained, chained and being tortured, with fears that he may be extra judicially killed in custody, we called and inquired directly from the OC SARS, CSP Nwafor on the condition of Mr. Mokwe in police custody. He only confirmed to us that Mr. Mokwe was still in their custody and alive. He however, refused to state how soon the police will charge him to court or free him. Since then, we were informed, he had been unchained and his wife and counsel allowed to see him some times of the day.
The police violated Mr. Mokwe’s rights to due process and presumption of innocence by detaining him indefinitely. Mr. Mokwe’s family insists that he was framed up by business rivals and enemies who had earlier threatened to plant incriminating objects and use the police to deal with him. They contend that the demolished hotel was a commercial property that was accessible to anyone who could pay for room rental and could implant human skulls there.
Conflicting report“The Mokwe’s family said that although the Police claimed to have recovered fresh human heads dripping with blood from the hotel, what they actually displayed to the media were two dried skulls.
NOPRIN believes that if the police have credible evidence to prosecute the accused persons, they should not delay to charge and arraign them before a competent court of jurisdiction. His continued detention in SARS cell without trial is illegal, unconstitutional and condemnable. NOPRIN has already petitioned the Inspector-General of Police on this matter.
The Nigerian Constitution guarantees, among others: rights to life, liberty, fair hearing and due process. It prohibits torture,cruel, inhuman and other degrading treatment, and gives victims of human rights violations a right to seek redress in court. The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights {Ratification and Enforcement) Act, which makes the African Charter part of Nigeria’s domestic law, reinforces these human rights guarantees which are essential for effective policing.
Indicts operatives of SARS “We have received information about an unholy alliance between the Anambra State Government and the authorities at SARS in Awkuzu whose operatives operate as if they are above the law and accountability. The use of SARS to provide security for illegal demolition of people’s property appear to underscore this unholy alliance.
SARS is under police Force Criminal Investigation Department specifically charged to combat armed robbery and other heinous crimes nationwide. But SARS in all parts of Nigeria has gained embarrassing notoriety , tainting the image of the Nigerian Police locally and internationally, and should either be scrapped or comprehensively reformed to conform to modern standards of policing or human rights compliant policing.
“SARS operatives are known for arresting people for all manner of alleged offences, torturing,and executing suspects, and detainees in their custody are secretly ill- treated. They also dabble into civil disputes.
We therefore, call on Anambra State government to discharge its governance responsibilities lawfully and put a stop to all illegal, barbaric policies and actions,” Nwanguma stated.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
When the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, embarked on a national strike on July 1, 2013 due to the refusal of Federal Government to implement the 2009 agreement it signed with the union which had several components, including adequate funding of education sector, Nigerians feared another long winter for their children forced to return home.
Strike by lecturers in public universities has become a normal trend every two years. The nation is accustomed to disrupted academic sessions that at times linger on for about six months.
To have an uninterrupted academic calendar in the university system is abnormal. So the strike factor is usually built into the calendar. An academic programme scheduled for three or four years, could last for seven years.
The blame for this can rightly be placed at the door step of the Federal Government, fond of breaching negotiated agreements reached with ASUU. There is the question of failed leadership, corruption, show of insincerity and lack of commitment to agreements; knowing that any breach would lead to shutting down of the universities by a frustrated union which feels government is unwilling to develop education in the country. The government is yet to understand that any refusal to honour agreement freely signed without duress tantamounts to a breach of contract, actionable in law.
Already, the public university system is in decadence in all ramifications. Most of the over 30 Federal and 36 State universities are in bad condition. Physical infrastructure for teaching and learning are grossly inadequate, dilapidated and over stretched. The laboratories and workshops are obsolete, poor furnishings, poor power and water supply, outdated equipment, crowded hostels and unhygienic living conditions.
Many of the universities don’t have video conferencing facility, only a fraction have or use interactive white boards. Many are without public address systems in their lecture rooms, while none of the universities had fully automated library resources. Education Minister, Prof. Ruqayattu Ahmed and ASUU President, Nasir Issa-Fagee
Education Minister, Prof. Ruqayattu Ahmed and ASUU President, Nasir Issa-Fagee
Apart from all these inadequacies, it has been found in a Federal Ministry of Education Report, that many of the universities are grossly understaffed, relying mainly on part-time and visiting lecturers, with several under-qualified academic staff, lacking effective staff development programmes. Recently, the National Universities Commission (NUC) came out with a directive that all university lecturers must possess Ph. D degrees within a given time or lose their appointments. Only about 43% of academic staff in the university system have doctorate degrees, the remaining 57% don’t.
According to the report, there are 37,504 lecturers in public universities, but only 28,128 (about 75%) are engaged on full time basis, the rest 25% are either part-time, visiting, on sabbatical or on contract.
Against this sordid scenario, one can understand the struggle of ASUU to reform and transform public universities to meet with the standards obtainable in other climes.
Our leaders are not ready to embark of this transformation because they are not committed to proper and adequate funding of education of which UNESCO recommended 26% of national budget. But Nigeria allocates less than 10% of her budget to education which is even among the lowest in Africa. Yet this nation can do better.
People in government and politicians are quick to send their children to UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Ukrain, Russia, and even nearby Ghana, Togo, Benin for university education. Because of their ill-gotten wealth, they can patronise expensive private institutions, rather than increase funding to upgrade public schools at home.
Dr. Nasir Fagge, ASUU National President, had explained that the strike was not just to reposition the education sector, particularly the university system, but to salvage our country. He said ASUU was determined to prosecute the strike to its logical conclusion, and that the implementation of the agreement was a cardinal issue that must be accomplished by the union as this would transform the country’s university system. Government offered a paltry N100 billion for infrastructure, and N30 billion for earned allowances, a far cry from N87 billion demanded.
On accepting the offer of N30 billion and going back to class while reaching agreement on when the next installments will be paid, Fagge rejected this, saying, “We had made that mistake before whereby only the salary component of the agreement was singled out and so we can not afford to make such a mistake again. Until the whole agreement is fully implemented, we are not going to call off this strike.”
Over N500 billion is needed for infrastructure upgrade.
President Goodluck Jonathan and other eminent Nigerians had appealed to ASUU to take the N30 billion offer by government and return to classroom.
The union had demanded for N87 billion (not N92 billion) in extra allowances translated as excess work load, high carriage of students per lecturer, responsibility allowance which included supervision of academic projects for final-year students, Masters, Ph.D theses, course advice, administrative duties as heads of departments, deans of faculties, hall masters, etc.asuu-fg
Because of inadequate staffing, the work load had been heavy with one lecturer to 200, or even 300 students.
Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in stating the government position had said the money – N92 billion according to her, which ASUU was demanding (but refuted by the union to be actually N87bn) was not only unrealistic, but also not within the reach of the Federal Government.
Her words at a 2-day conference of Commissioners of Finance and Accountants-General of States Ministries of Finance held in Minna, Niger State. “At present, ASUU wants the government to pay N92 billion in extra allowances when resources are not there and when we are working to integrate past increases in pensions. We need to make choices in this country as we are getting to the stage where recurrent expenditures take the bulk of our resources and people get paid but can do no work.”
Series of deadlock had characterised meetings between ASUU leaders and the Federal Government Team lead by Governor Suswam of Benue State to resolve the crisis and pave way for lecturers to return back to work.
Mr. James Bidemi, a Senior Management staff in a public university, commended the ASUU action which seemed good and appropriate, but cautioned if the dispute is not resolved, it could destroy university education in the country. He called for state of emergency on education.
“Government should meet at least 50% to 60% of ASUU demand, and people will support government in the appeal for the strike to be called off. It’s about an agreement which government was bound to implement and also endeavour to tackle the decaying infrastructure in the university system.” A university teacher, in his reaction, wondered why the Minister of Education failed to capture these earned allowances owed to lecturers by the 2009 agreement in the 2013 budget. If they were legislators, the funds will be available.
Meanwhile, the strike is biting hard as students have been roaming the streets, lured into criminality and social vices like prostitution, drug trafficking, kidnapping and political thuggery.
Chief Joshua Nwosu, a businessman with three children in the university now at home blamed bad and insensitive leaders for the horrible condition of the education system.“The government just refused to allocate sufficient fund to education despite the abundant financial resources available. Millions of our youths are jobless, yet government is not willing to provide adequate money for educational development. Something drastic must be done to save our education from total collapse. President Jonathan should act fast and be patriotic.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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