No pay for striking lecturers, pry school teachers - Suswam

BENUE State governor, Mr Gabriel Suswam, has vowed to carry out the policy of ‘no work no pay rule’ to striking lecturers of the Benue State University (BSU) and primary school teachers in the state, as long as they stay out of work. The state university lecturers had joined the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike, which has entered its four months, while primary school teachers, last week, resumed the suspended strike over non-implementation of the new minimum wage in the state. The governor, in a chat with journalists on Sunday, expressed dissatisfaction with the striking workers in the state, insisting that the lecturers and teachers had no business to embark on strike, since his administration had been working to fulfill its obligation to them. “BSU lecturers have no issue. We are already enforcing the ‘no work, no pay’ policy and I’m not joking about it. There will be no salary for striking university lecturers, while teachers will also not be paid for the period they are on strike,” he said. Only two weeks ago, it will be recalled that primary school pupils embarked on solidarity protest for their teachers. The teachers had argued that the minimum wage, which the state government started paying them from August, was slightly lower than what other civil servants in the state enjoyed. But the governor debunked the claim, saying no teacher in the state earned less than N25,000 monthly, despite the lean resources accruing to the state account from the Federal Government. He maintained that the N18,000 minimum wage approved by the Federal Government was a national threshold, adding that his administration had surpassed the national limit

Transcorp takes over Ughelli power plant

Transcorp Ughelli Power Limited (TUPL), a subsidiary of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc (Transcorp), on Friday, officially took physical ownership of Ughelli Power Plc, thus becoming the owner and operator of the 1,000MW capacity Ughelli Power Plant following a handover ceremony hosted by the Nigerian Federal Government. The ceremony was held at the plant located in Ughelli, Delta State with government representatives, community leaders and other key power stakeholders in attendance. Vice President Namadi Sambo, who was represented by Mr Emeka Wogu, the Minister of Labour and Productivity said: “This handover ceremony is the culmination of 14 years of painstaking efforts by the NCP and its Secretariat, the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), the Federal Ministry of Power and other key stakeholders to reform and liberalise Nigeria’s electricity industry. “This reform and privatisation programme is rightly focused on the big picture, that is, the impact on the economy as a whole and ultimately, the greatest good for the greatest number of Nigerians. I congratulate Transcorp on emerging as the successful winner through a very rigorous, competitive and transparent process. We appreciate your faith in the process and your faith in the Nigerian government and economy.” Ughelli Power Plc, operator of the Ughelli Power Plant is one of the six power generation companies unbundled from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). By August 21, 2013, TUPL had effected full payment of $300million to the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) representing 100 per cent of TUPL’s bid price for the plant. Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Transcorp, while commenting on the successful handover ceremony remarked: “I would like to thank the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan for its diligence towards achieving this significant milestone in the history of the Nigerian power sector.” He added that Transcorp and its partners Tenoil, Symbion Power, Thomassen and Woodrock Energy were well positioned and had the required expertise to operate a world-class power generation plant that would transform the Nigerian power sector and change the lives of its citizens. Mr Elumelu further re-stated Transcorp’s commitment to invest in host communities wherever the organisation operates with the aim of creating jobs, providing training and ensuring vital knowledge and skills transfer where possible, thus ensuring sustainable contribution to Nigeria’s economic and social development. “We will actively engage the local communities in and around Ughelli to work together with the unified objective of ensuring that lives are improved and our larger economy revived.”

AFRIMA releases 31 award categories

•Urges artistes to submit entries online Following the historic event that saw Nigeria emerged as the winner of the hosting right of AFRIMA (Africa Music Awards) on Sunday October 6, 2013, the International Committee of AFRIMA has officially released 31 award categories – and these are divided into the regional and non-regional categories. Michael Strano, Regional Director, AFRIMA, East Africa and co-producer says: “The African continent has had her fair share of award events but AFRIMA also stands out by being the only one that would honour music professionals, who operate behind the scenes; who have hitherto been neglected because awards organisers largely see their activities as trivial. For the very first time, honour would be accorded people who are engaged in the art of song writing, producing and music/entertainment journalism.” As the excitement of this Pan-African platform to honour music professionals continues to reverberate, the organizers say African artistes have the opportunity to embrace the revolution by entering their works digitally to compete in one or more of the 31 categories. The entries start from March 28, 2014 and would run till June 20, 2014 in accordance with the tentative 2014 calendar which is expected to be ratified at the AFRIMA international committee’s conference in Cotonou, Benin Republic from November 21-24, 2013 where five regional directors and 32 country directors are expected to attend. The entries will include the video, the song, and profile update of the artiste only. Another innovative side to AFRIMA 2014 is the live performances by different artistes at the AFRIMA Village that would run from October 24, 2014. “The novelty in AFRIMA is the introduction of life-changing prizes for the Promising Artiste of the Year; Revelation Artiste of the Year, Producer of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Music/Entertainment Journalist of the Year. This is aimed at appreciating and rewarding their passion in promoting the rich cultural heritage of African music,” Strano says. In order to inspire the public to participate in the process leading to selection, there will be motivation prizes for participants of SMS voting and event promo – ‘Do you know Africa’, in addition to lots of freebies for early purchasers of the event ticket. According to Mike Dada, Chief Executive Officer, PRM Africa and executive producer of AFRIMA, the first awards show will be held on Saturday, October 25, 2014 and would be broadcast live on local and international media platforms including Canal France International CFI and partner stations in Africa. However, African music summit slated for October 23 and 24 will precede the award ceremony, and targeted at discussing and finding solutions to the issues that have been militating against the growth of business of music in Africa. In order to draw attention to the African music scene, the organisers are also taking the award on a road show tagged: “AFRIMA Bus Tour of Africa” to major cities in Africa. Already, arrangements have been concluded to host AFRIMA concert in New York, London and Paris under the theme: “On the Road to AFRIMA”. This will culminate in a four-city live concert that would be staged in Dakaar, Kampala, Duoula and Johannesburg to give the continent pre-event feelings of what to expect. “Africa Music Awards will provide opportunities to showcase our strength as Africans for global competitiveness and project our musical and cultural values from our perception in an unambiguous manner that reflects our heritage and bright future. Without doubt, AFRIMA’s highpoint rests on the design to collaborate with the African Union (AU), to foster unity, peace and love among African nations. The time is now to clutch the prestigious ‘Djemba drum and microphone’, AFRIMA’s plaque for winners,” Dada declared.

Again, FG begs ASUU to end strike

The Federal Government, through Vice President Namadi Sambo, yet again appealed to the Academy Staff Union of Universities ASUU to end its four-month old strike in the interest of the students and the country. Sambo made the appeal yesterday, during the commissioning of Bauchi State University at Gadau in the northern zone of the state. He urged the striking lecturers to come to terms with the current reality. Recall that university lecturers have been on strike since July 1 this year with the different negotiating teams failing to broker peace between the union and the Federal Government. The lecturers have remained adamant in spite of pleas by parents, stakeholders, insisting that its action is informed by the need to save university education from total

collapse The Vice President, who is the Chairman of the Federal Government team negotiating with ASUU said on the occasion, “ASUU wants the Federal Government to shift its positions. We have already done that. It is now the turn of ASUU to shift its position and call off the strike in order to save the education sector from deteriorating. Sambo said that Federal Government had intervened in the funding of universities through TETFUND which is an indication that government believes its transformation agenda can only be realised through sound education. He disclosed that about N2.2 billion has been approved for the Bauchi State University as special intervention fund by the Federal Government. He pledged Federal Government’s continued support and partnership with Bauchi State on education which is the thrust of President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda saying that no nation would grow without education. “We will continue to provide education by providing conducive teaching and learning environment to all the people. Sambo said the present administration has embarked on total rehabilitation of railway tracks, development of irrigation farming and training of youths on ICT for wealth- creation and improvement of the people’s economy. Speaking, Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda said that the idea of establishing a state university was conceived by the immediate past administration but the implementation was carried out by his administration He said the university opened on September 23, 2011 following approval by the National University Commission (NUC). According to him, the state contributed two per cent of state’s statutory allocation while the local government areas contributed five per cent for the running of the university. Yuguda said that so far, N16.5b has been spent on construction of hostels, library, road networks and blocks of classrooms. While commending the Federal Government for its intervention in the education sector, Yuguda appealed to government to include Bauchi in the supply of textbooks by Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme.

2014/15: Third force candidates emerge in S’West

A formidable third force in the South-West which has intensified its efforts towards wresting power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) governments appears to be making headways as it has succeeded in identifying credible materials to use for the coming staggered elections in the zone. While Ekiti and Osun states will hold their governorship elections next year, elections into the governors’ seats in other states, except Ondo will come up in 2015. Daily Sun gathered at the weekend that before the end of this month, declaration into the four political parties that made up the third force would be the order of the day. The parties in the collaborative alliance in the South-West are the Labour Party of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, Accord Party of former governor Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State, Social Democratic Party (SDP) of Chief Olu Falae and Action Alliance of former Oyo State information commissioner, Pastor Taiwo Otegbeye. Daily Sun can report authoritatively that in Osun State, the Labour Party is courting a former attorney general, Mr. Niyi Owolade with a view to using him as its standard bearer against Governor Rauf Aregbesola in the 2014 governorship poll. In Ekiti State, a member of the House of Representatives, Opeyemi Bamidele, is likely to fly the Labour Party’s flag against Governor Kayode Fayemi while former governor Ladoja of Oyo State appears to be under pressure to re-contest on the platform of his party, Accord Party.

Daily Sun can also report that in Ogun State, two namesakes are being considered by the Labour Party. They are a former commissioner in the government of Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Alhaji Isiaka Adegboyega and a current three-term House of Representatives member, Alhaji Isiaka Abiodun Akinlade. In Lagos State, the Labour Party is believed to have succeeded in persuading a renown pharmacist and former governorship candidate of the defunct Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA), Mr. Jimi Agbaje to contest the 2015 governorship election under its umbrella. For the Action Alliance, Daily Sun gathered from a party member that “the party is working on a legal luminary, who has been a commissioner under Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola’s administration to use its platform in Osun State to wrest power from Aregbesola.” A formidable member of the third force caucus, who craved anonymity confided in Daily Sun that “before the end of November, carpet-crossing from the two formidable parties, PDP and APC would be so overwhelming that the ruling party would be visibly panicking.”

TCN alerts on 400mw drop in electricity, seeks understanding

Monday, there will be a 400 megawatts drop in electricity generation, which would lead to blackout in some areas, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said in Abuja Sunday. It called for understanding from the public, saying that due to the expected drop in electricity, there would be rationing of power supply. It said in a statement: “The Management of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has said that there will be a reduction in generation output by 400mw from Monday (today) to Saturday. “This is due to the Shell Petroleum Development Company’s (SPDC) scheduled maintenance work on Okoloma gas plant supplying gas to Afam VI Power Plant, thereby leading to the shutdown of the power plant and resulting in nationwide power rationing.” According to TCN, the shutdown of Afam VI power plant became necessary to allow SPDC inspect and carry out routine maintenance work on the Okoloma natural gas station in Afam, Rivers State, to ensure its technical integrity. It added: “Maintenance work on Okoloma gas plant, SPDC revealed, is important to guarantee continuous and uninterrupted supply of gas to Afam VI for power generation into the national grid. “TCN sincerely regrets inconveniences the six-day power rationing will cause the Federal Government and our highly esteemed electricity consumers nationwide, and assures that the maintenance work is in line with efforts to improve power supply in the country.”