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Govt Can’t Resolve ASUU Crisis With Court Rulings – Falana

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Govt Can't Resolve ASUU Crisis With Court Rulings - Falana

Rulings by courts cannot solve the monumental challenges facing the university system as expressed by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has warned.

Falana said that the recent Industrial Court ruling against ASUU would not solve the monumental crises rocking university education system in Nigeria.

The legal expert mentioned this when he featured on a Channels Television programme, Sunrise Daily.

The tussel between the striking lecturers and the Federal Government had turned into a more serious legal issue as the latter had approached the court.

READ ALSO: Constitution Allows Workers To Participate In Politics – Falana

The step resulted in a court judgement by Justice Polycarp Hamman on Wednesday, which ordered the university lecturers to end the strike and return to classrooms.

The judge, who gave the order while ruling on an application filed by the Federal Government, said the strike “has done irreparable damage to the lives of the affected students and the country’s education system.”

He added that the industrial action contravenes the Section 18(1)(2) of the Trade Disputes Act.

However, speaking on the matter , Falana lamented the attitude of the Federal Government towards the demands of the union.

He noted that the court order would amount to nothing if key areas deserving of attention remain abandoned.

The ASUU counsel, therefore, charged Nigerians to persuade the government to do the needful in order to save the life of public universities in Nigeria.

Falana said: “I have my worry about the decision because the National Industrial Court, in cases like this, is expected to promote reconciliation instead of giving orders which were in the past rejected. When workers go on strike and orders are given without issues addressed, then there is a problem. Well, the ruling has been given and ASUU is filing an appeal. That’s the process.

READ ALSO: Govt Wins As Industrial Court Orders ASUU To Suspend Strike

“Having attended schools in Nigeria, I’m sad this avoidable strike persists. The attitude of the government isn’t to address issues leading to the strike in the first place. Successive governments go around trying to destabilize ASUU.

“This regime has a track record of ignoring recommendations by various committees set up to address the matter. The government, if ready, can pick up the documents to sign and call ASUU to call off strike. The government should be persuaded by Nigerians. Of course, the public reactions to the ruling against the union shows the Government is embarrassed.”

 

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BREAKING: PDP Suspends Anyim, Fayose

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Anyim and Fayose

Former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose; former president of the Senate, Pius Anyim; Prof Dennis Ityavyar and Aslam Aliyu were on Thursday suspended from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).

The PDP made the suspension on Thursday after an extensive review of the affairs of the party, pursuant to the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017).

The PDP also referred the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, to the National Disciplinary Committee over his reported involvement in anti-party activities.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.

“The PDP urges all leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our party across the country to remain united and focused at this critical time,” the statement added.

 

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BREAKING: Ekweremadu, Wife Found Guilty Of Organ-trafficking In UK

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Ekweremadu and his wife

A United Kingdom court has found former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, 60, his wife Beatrice, 56, and Dr Obinna Obeta, 50,  guilty of an organ-trafficking plot, which saw them bring a 21-year-old man to the UK

They were convicted of conspiring to exploit the man from Lagos for his kidney, reports the BBC.

Prosecutors told the Old Bailey the organ was to be removed and given to the couple’s daughter, Sonia, aged 25.

She was cleared of the same charge.

The victim, a street trader from Lagos, was brought to the UK last year to provide a kidney in an £80,000 private transplant at the Royal Free Hospital in London.

They were later arrested at the airport while trying to leave the UK.

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NLC Orders Workers To Shut CBN Offices Nationwide Over Naira Scarcity

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NLC Suspends Plan To Protest Against Fuel Subsidy Removal

Worried about the continued scarcity of naira, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has officially declared a nationwide . The national president of the union, Joe Ajaero, gave the directive during a media briefing in Abuja.

Ajaero also directed that affiliate unions constituting the NLC should be on standby for picketing exercises across all branches of the Central Bank of Nigeria nationwide.

The NLC earlier issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to end the petrol and cash scarcity being experienced in the country.

Ajaero told journalists on Wednesday that the industrial action became the last resort of the NLC following the expiration of the ultimatum.

He said the decision to picket the CBN branches became necessary as the federal government and the CBN had failed to show any commitment to addressing the situation.

Ajaero lamented that despite the Supreme Court order that the old N200, N500 and N1000 notes remain legal tender until December 31, 2023, the situation kept getting worse.

He said workers could not access cash to pay fares to work.

He also criticised the pricing irregularities in the petroleum sector.

“Last week, we gave an ultimatum for the review of the cash crunch bedevilling the country, but we have discovered to our dismay that as at this moment not much effort has been made to ameliorate the situation. Government is still foot-dragging on these issues we raised,” Ajaero said.

“Based on this, we met again this morning to review our position and resolved that by Wednesday next week all CBN branches will be picketed. Workers are directed to stay at home too because people cannot eat, workers can no longer go to the office, we have been pushed to the wall.

“We have decided to take our destiny in our hands, we have mobilised our workers on this exercise.”

The NLC has no fewer than 43 affiliate unions which include, but not limited to, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, and the National Union of Road Transport Workers.

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