Uniabuja Channel

The University of Abuja has pointedly told the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, that it lacked constitutional powers to meddle in admissions into universities. This was as the university refuted last week’s allegations by the nation’s tertiary institutions’ examination body that it was engaging in “Illegal admissions”, outside the constitutional provisions. Quoting the relevant constitutional provisions guiding the operations of the nation’s university education system,the University of Abuja,in a statement by its Head, information and University Relations,  Dr Habib Yakoob, insisted that it was not out of place for it to conduct admissions without JAMB’s input. The Universities Miscellaneous Provisions, (Amendment) Act 2003 7a (ii) states that “The Senate shall have powers in all academic matters including the organization and control, teaching and research, admission of students…” What this means is that the university, not any external body, is guaranteed the powe...

The Federal Government has faulted the fresh notice by the Academic Staff Union of Universities to embark on a fresh strike barely four months after calling off a 10-month industrial action. The government said any person conceiving a strike after close to one year of downing tools would be doing a disservice to students “because government is a continuum.” The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, who stated this in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, said it had been difficult for the government to run the lives of over 200 million people with less than $70m a day in earnings. He said, “Whoever is conceiving a strike after being on a strike for close to one year is damaging the studentship because government is a continuum. Even if we are not in power today, another government, as the case may be, will be there. Whoever is in power will continue to engage with any union. But that shouldn’t stop the country from functioning because the rest of the country are the ones you...

 The Academic Staff Union of Universities has threatened to resume its suspended strike over non-payment of salaries and alleged victimisation of members. The chairman, University of Ibadan branch of ASUU, Prof. Ayo Akinwole, in a statement on Sunday asked Nigerians to blame the Federal Government if universities are shut down again. Akinwole decried that despite agreeing to ASUU’s condition before the strike was suspended on December 24, 2020, many lecturers are still being owed salaries of between two and 10 months ASUU had called off its nine-month strike after the FG agreed to its conditions. However, within two weeks of the conditional suspension of the nine-month strike embarked upon by ASUU, the Federal Government reportedly flouted the agreements. It was learnt that as of December 31, 2020, the Federal Government had failed to fulfil three agreements reached with the union. Among the agreements, FG failed to fulfil was the payment of the lecturers six months salaries, inclu...

Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions have written their branches to commence strike from tomorrow (Friday). According to a copy of the notice obtained by PUNCH on Thursday, the industrial action will take effect pending any contrary resolution by the branches. Part of the notice read, “In view of the outcome of the meeting, the leadership of JAC of NASU and SSANU at the branches are hereby directed to commence joint general meetings on Friday to give reports on the outcome of the conciliation meeting and pass resolutions on the way forward. “In the meantime, the nationwide strike takes effect from 12 midnight, Friday, February 5, 2021, pending any contrary resolution by the branches.”

THE meeting between the Federal Government team and the non-teaching staff in the universities under the umbrella of Joint Action Committee, JAC, ended Tuesday without any resolution of the contentious issues. Recall that JAC comprising the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities, SSANU had threatened to shut down the universities starting from February 5 if the government failed to address some of the concerns they raised. Among the concerns include the issue of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, which the unions complained that they were having problems with since they migrated into the platform, the non-payment of arrears of minimum wage since April last year, the disparity in the sharing of the N40 billion Earned Allowances in which the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU was allocated 75 per cent of the total sum leaving 25 per cent for three unions and th...

The Federal Government is currently meeting with the Joint Action Committee comprising the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions. Report shows that the meeting is holding at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Abuja. Among those present in the meeting are the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige; SSANU National President, Mohammed Ibrahim; and NASU General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi. The non-teaching staff in the universities had announced that they would embark on a nationwide strike from February 5, 2021 over the Federal Government’s handling of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, sharing formula of the N40 billion earned academic allowances and non-payment of arrears of the new minimum wage. Others are the non-payment of retirement benefits to former members, non-constitution of visitation panels to universities, poor funding of universities, teachi...

The Management of the University of Abuja has appealed to all law-abiding students to not partake in disrupting the 2019/2020 Academic Calendar, considering the amount of time lost to the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and COVID-19 pandemic. The institution said it was putting all necessary measures in place to address issues raised by its students regarding their academic programmes. The school’s appeal came on the heels of protest by its students on Monday over alleged injustice to them by its authorities. The students had barricaded the entrance to the university’s permanent site, demanding the opening of the school’s portal, review of the school’s fees as well as allowing students to pay their fees without the imposition of the deadline Oladeji Adebolawale, President, Students Union Government, SUG, of the institution, who led the protest explained that “We are here this morning to show our displeasure through a peaceful protest with no violence. For the ...

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Associated Institutions (NASU), said at the weekend that there is no going back on the strike declared by the unions over the welfare of their members and the poor state of the university system The unions have also commenced mobilisation and sensitisation of their members nationwide and warned that the strike would commence on Friday if the Federal Government failed to address their demands and arrest the looming industrial unrest . The unions, under the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of SSANU and NASU, had declared a nationwide strike to commence on Friday, February 5, 2021, following the resolutions of their members during congresses held across the branche It is in line with the resolution of our members nationwide, that the leadership of the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU hereby resolve that members of NASU and SSANU shall embark on an indefinite, comprehensiv...

The University of Abuja Management through its Deputy Registrar has issued a 2nd notice to all students on 2019/2020 Registration   This was contain in a statement published on school email community on Sunday, the statement said,"The University Management held an emergency meeting with the Student Union today 31st January, 2021 at about 14:00 hour and considered the plea of well-meaning Nigerians within and outside the University. Consequently, the following was resolved: 1. The late registration fee for those who have not paid their school fees as well as those who have paid but did not register is hereby waived; 2. As earlier informed, all those who has not paid their school fees can write an appeal to the Vice Chancellor through the Deputy Registrar Academics via email - academicofficer@uniabuja.edu.ng; 3. Those who have recently paid the late registration fee of N5,000 will be refunded; 4. Therefore, all the affected students should avail themselves of the opportunity to regi...

 The University of Abuja students react to the Vice Chancellor on the SUG Communique. The UNIABUJA students through the UNIABUJA SUSTAINTIAL has responded to the Vice Chancellor call on the meeting with the Student Union on Sunday/Monday The statement said, "with all due respect Prof, Our Union leaders have made a position which all students of University of Abuja are solemnly in support of it.  Our demands have been stated thrice in a meeting with you and the Union privately. In as much as we accept your call for a meeting so as to settle the listed issues amicably, we also, with all due respect sir, want to call your attention to the need for a more robust response to all students.  Our heart has been filled already, and not until our demands are fully adhered to in full public glare can we entertain any meeting with you sir. We have met you severally on the same issue and your response is what led to the ultimatum we were forced to issue".  "Please sir, to make ev...

The University of Abuja Vice Chancellor, Prof Abdul-Rasheed Na'Allah seeks meeting with UniAbuja Student Union Government (SUG). He made the statement in reply to the SUG Communique on the different challenges confronting the students released on the school email community after a meeting with the Student Representative Assembly, the Judiciary, Council of President, Class Governors forum and the student stakeholders on Saturday 30th 2021. The communique says, "The Student Union Body had an elaborate discussion regarding the state of the union and all the members in attendance contributed immensely to how to proffer solutions to different challenges confronting the entire students of the great UofA as they are set to resume. The Students' Union President addressed major issues concerning student's welfarism that need urgent attention with an immediate alacrity. He also briefed the entire house on the numerous efforts the union have been making towards creating a comfort...

The University of Abuja students react negatively to 5k late registration fee released on the school portal by the school management This comes after the statement released by the Deputy Registrar (Academics) on the school email community on Thursday The statement titled, 'Notice to all students on 2019/2020 registration'. The statement read 'Registration and fees payment for 2019/2020 academic session has ended'. "All students who paid their fees but have not registered can go ahead and complete teir registration as the portal has been extensively opened for them for a period of one week only" the statement stated. The portal opened for late registration with 5k charges The new charges has cause a lot of reaction on social media  thousand of UniAbuja students express dissatisfaction with the new charges  A 400 level students who refused to disclose is identity describe the charges as hash policy that is not favouring students, imagine no registration and paym...

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETfund, has commended the present management of Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, over increased remittance of education tax to it Its Executive Secretary, Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, said this when he led the management team of his organisation in appreciation to FIRS in Abuja. Bogoro said: “It is good to acknowledge the goose that lay the golden egg as we are very comfortable in this house. Each time we meet in FIRS this is what we tell ourselves. This is because we witnessed the highest jump in the collection of the FIRS collection of two per cent of Education tax fund.” He added:“The management of TETfund and the Board of the trustee is very excited and we have agreed that I should lead the management team to come and formally expressed our appreciation”. “We are veritable partners in executing our mandate of applying the two per cent education tax which came to be in 1993 but the funds were applied in 1999 to 2010 under ETF. In 2011 it was refocu...

 All Students are hereby informed of the following: 1.    Registration and fees payment for the 2019/2020 Academic Session has ended. 2.    At the end of the exercise, over Twenty thousand undergraduate regular students have successfully paid and registered. However it was discovered that due to reasons best known to them, certain students did not pay the school fees despite two extensions of payment period granted by the Vice Chancellor at the instance of the Student Union Government. 3.    All students are hereby advised to strictly abide by the University Academic Calendar. 4.    The University Management affirms non-tolerance to violation of any extant rules and regulations. 5.    All students who paid their fees but have not registered can go ahead and complete their registration as the portal has been exclusively opened for them for a period of one week only. 6.    However, any student with payment or registration co...

 The National Association of Nigerian Students has endorsed the proposal by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for students to undergo drug integrity test before admission into the university. The NANS President, Asefon Daye, expressed his support for the initiative during a solidarity visit to the new NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), in Abuja on Wednesday . This was contained in a statement by the Principal Staff Officer, NDLEA Public Affairs, Jonah Achema It quoted Daye as stating that drug abuse has done a lot of harm to Nigerian students. “We support the drug test policy. Drug has done more harm than good to the Nigerian students. We do not want Nigerian students to continue to die of drugs,” he reportedly said. Daye noted that the initiative was not only preventive but would encourage others to stop the habit “knowing that the authorities would detect it. Marwa commended NANS for the congratulatory visit and show of solidarity. “I am particularly delighted ...

​The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has said that the auto crash that claimed the lives of students and traders in Akungba Akoko, Ondo state has again exposed the failure of the government. This is coming as the National Association of Ondo State Students (NAOSS) claimed that over twenty people were confirmed dead in the last Saturday accident. Recall that an articulated truck which had a brake failure, rammed into some business centres, shops, and building near the Adekunle Ajasin University in Akungba, killing, maiming, and destroying properties. The state police command however confirmed eight persons including three siblings, a pregnant woman, and an ex- SUG president of the institution. Authorities of the institution are yet to come out with the actual number of casualties. Meanwhile, the  Zone D (South West) of the student body in a statement by its coordinator, Kowe Odunayo Amos, and Public Relation Officer, Kazeem Olalekan Israel wondered why the security ...

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has said Vice-Chancellors and bursars of some universities are hindering the smooth disbursement of the union’s share of the N40bn earned allowance. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, had recently said the N40bn earned allowance had been paid to the universities’ account, adding that out of the N40bn, ASUU has N30bn as earned academic allowance while the non-teaching staff has N10bn as earned allowance. Speaking with the news correspondent on Monday, the national president of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, said, “There are some hitches at the Central Bank too. So, it is when we confirm that other universities have been paid that we can attest to, and we suspect that some Vice-Chancellors and bursars are trying to constitute problems. “In principle, they have released the money but in vertical terms, not all universities have received theirs. Some VCs are not cooperating with our members on the information they should provide. W...

No fewer  than 37 students of University of Abuja have been awarded scholarship by the federal government to help their academics All the beneficiares cut across various departments including Theatre Arts, Public Administration, Electrical Engineering, English and Sociology. On Monday, some of the students had the privilege of a warm handshake with the University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na'Allah, during the presentation of their award letters.

President Muhammadu Buhari waived the ‘no work, no pay’ Trade Act for striking university lecturers to allow peace to reign, Minister of Labour and Employment Dr. Chris Ngige, said at the weekend. The government has released N40billion for the payment of earned academic allowances for varsity lecturers and earned allowances for non-academic staff. Also, the government may release N30 billion revitalisation funds to varsities by the end of this month. Of the N40 billion, about N10 billion was voted for the payment of earned allowances of members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SANU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and technologists. Although the non-academic staff have threatened  strike over the sharing formula by the National Universities Commission (NUC), the government said when a similar payment was made in 2019, they got N8 billion. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, who gave the update in an exclusive chat with our correspondent...

Non-teaching staff in the Universities, Friday announced that they will be proceeding on what they described as a total and comprehensive nationwide strike on 5th February 2021 following the inability of the Federal Government to address their concerns The non-teaching staff under the umbrella of Joint Action Committee, JAC, comprising the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities, SSANU also announced the immediate commencement of a two-week warning strike. Recall that the unions have made series of attempts to draw attention to the Government over latent and growing industrial tension in the university system but all to no avail The two unions had last week embarked on a three-day protest over the alleged government failure to honour the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed with them on 20th October 2020. Besides, the unions have lamented over the difficulties members were passing through as...