Education
Withheld salaries: SSANU, NASU holds protest in Lokoja varsity
Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities SSANU and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), Federal University Lokoja (FUL), on Tuesday, staged a protest in demand for withheld four months salaries.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protest staged by the two unions at FUL’d Felele New Campus, was in solidarity with the Tuesday’s strike action declared by their national bodies, SSANU and NASU.
The aggrieved workers, who filed out the streets of the campus in the morning, carried placards of several inscriptions as they marched around the university campus.
They called on the Federal Government to release their withheld salaries and implement their other outstanding demands.
Some of the inscriptions including:- “FG not fair to SSANU ,NASU,” “FG pay our 4 Months Arrears now, we are not slaves” and ” FG give us that which belongs to us,” among others.
The Chairman, SSANU FUL chapter, Adedeji Suarau, in his remarks, called on the government to hasten the implementation of their demands to avoid a total breakdown of university education.
Suarau said, “All the University unions went on strike in 2022, and because of that the then president Muhammadu Buhari invoked ” No-work-No-pay” .
“When President Bola Tinubu came on board, he pardoned and gave approval that the withheld salaries be paid, but to our dismay, only our Sister union “ASUU” were paid while we the non-teaching staff were left out.
“On enquiry, we were told an approval is still being expected, which informed our decision to embark on this protest to show our displeasure over the ill-treatment.
“More still, even our promotion arrears have been lingering since 2018. Although some of your members were paid, others are left out till today.
“The Nigerian economy is biting hard on our members as even the wage awards to cushion the effect of removal of Oil subsidy is not being paid running to four months now.”
Saurau urged the federal government to pay all their monies including Earn allowance.
“If the government refuses to listen to our demands, we are going to shut down the country with strike action.”
Also speaking, the NASU Chairman of FUL, AbdulAzeez Yusuf said, the union had no option than to protest saying they have exhausted all their patience hence, the need for the protest.
Yusuf advised the government to wake up and do the needful otherwise they could not guarantee further industrial harmony. (NAN
The Federal University of Applied Sciences in Kachia, Kaduna State, will begin academic activities this year. Medicine, Pharmacy, and Nursing are emerging as the top programmes.
This follows the official transfer of the institution’s Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) from the Kaduna State Government to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, confirmed the development in Abuja when Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani handed over the Certificate of Occupancy to him.
He assured Governor Sani that all necessary financial provisions had been made to ensure the university’s smooth start.
“This university is going to take off. We already have the National Assembly’s approval for the personnel, the recurrent overhead, and the capital budget in the 2025 budget,” Dr Alausa said.
He further announced that the institution would admit its first batch of students in the 2025 academic year, reinforcing the government’s commitment to expanding higher education opportunities.
The minister also pledged to secure funding from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to accelerate the university’s development.
“I’ll ensure the university also gets a TETFund allocation this year. So, this is a happy day for the people of Southern Kaduna, the people of Kaduna, and the people of Nigeria at large,” he stated.
With the formal handover of the Certificate of Occupancy, the Federal Government now assumes full ownership of the university, paving the way for its official commencement. “Over 200 hectares of land are being transferred by the Kaduna State Government to the Federal Government via the Federal Ministry of Education. We now have full ownership of this university,” he said.
Alausa said the university would offer Science courses, especially in the medical sciences, which are priority areas for the President Bola Tinubu-led administration, even as the ministry focuses on STEM, Vocational and Technical education, and skill acquisition.
“The Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, would be offering courses in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and applied sciences in areas such as applied mathematics, computers, AI and machine learning, and environmental studies, among others,” he said.
Governor of Kaduna State Uba Sani said the University of Applied Sciences Kachia is very special, as it would engender development because of the nature of its courses, as the Honourable Minister of Education spelt out. “We believe that science is something significant and critical and will help Kaduna develop,” he said.
He said the land given to the University by the Kaduna State government is as large as a whole district and far more significant than many universities in the country. “We are here with the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), about 270 hectares of land. It’s a whole district and bigger than many universities nationwide,” he said.
He commended Nigerian President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for the FEC approval, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and Senator Sunday Marshal, representing Kaduna South Senatorial District, for their unwavering support that made the university a reality, especially the seamless transition.
FG Expanding Transport, Power Networks—Presidency
Sunday Dare, special adviser to the president on media and public communications, says the federal government is expanding transportation and power networks nationwide.
In a statement on Sunday, Dare said Nigeria is experiencing an unprecedented expansion of its transportation and power networks, laying the foundation for long-term economic growth.
According to the presidential special adviser, “36 major roads — including the Lagos coastal road and Sokoto-Badagry highway — are currently under construction, backed by a N5.9 trillion allocation in the 2025 budget”.
“This administration understands that without world-class infrastructure, economic growth remains stunted. Roads, power, and water projects are being prioritised to unlock Nigeria’s full economic potential,” Dare said.
The presidential aide highlighted the Lekki Free Trade Zone as a prime example of how infrastructure investment attracts billion-dollar industries, citing the Dangote refinery as a direct beneficiary of strategic road and port development.
“People doubted President Tinubu when he first pushed for these projects as governor of Lagos. Today, they have transformed entire economic corridors, proving the power of long-term planning,” Dare added.
Beyond roads, he said the government is investing heavily in power sector reforms, ensuring that businesses and households benefit from a more stable electricity supply, which is crucial for industrialisation and economic expansion.
“The impact of these projects is also evident in Eko Atlantic, where world-class infrastructure has attracted major financial institutions such as First Bank, reinforcing Lagos’ position as a global business and investment hub,” he said.
In February, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved N242.6 billion for the rehabilitation, re-scoping, and construction of 14 major road projects across the country.
On March 6, the FEC approved the rehabilitation and construction of 14 road projects across Nigeria, valued at N660.2 billion.
The Peoples Democratic Party has again postponed its National Executive Committee meeting, rescheduling it for May 15, 2025.
In a statement obtained by ELANZANEWS Online on Sunday, the PDP’s National Secretary, Sunday Ude-Okoye, said the meeting, originally slated for March 13, was delayed due to pending zonal, state, local government, and ward congresses, as well as the need for further consultations.
This marks the fifth time the PDP has rescheduled its 99th NEC meeting, further deepening internal divisions within the party.
The crisis within the PDP has intensified since Umar Damagum assumed office as acting National Chairman following the court’s removal of Senator Iyorchia Ayu, with growing calls for his resignation.
During the 98th NEC meeting on April 18, 2024, party leaders failed to resolve several critical issues. As a result, the crisis has deepened, affecting state and zonal chapters and causing significant divisions within the National Working Committee.
The 98th NEC meeting had initially set August 15 for the 99th NEC meeting to address unresolved matters. However, the meeting was first postponed to October 24, 2024, then rescheduled for November 28, 2024, before being indefinitely delayed.
In response, the PDP Governors’ Forum, led by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, directed the NWC in December 2024 to ensure the NEC meeting was held by February 2025 at the latest.
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Adolphus Wabara, raised concerns that continued delays were eroding the trust and confidence of PDP members.
To ensure the meeting was held promptly, the PDP Governors’ Forum, during their meeting in Asaba, Delta State, on January 31, proposed March 13 for the NEC meeting.
However, in a new development, the party leadership announced that after consulting with all party organs, the 99th NEC meeting has, for the fifth time, been postponed to May 15.
The statement read, “Distinguished members of the National Executive Committee may recall that after due deliberation by party leaders, stakeholders, and relevant organs of the party, the NEC meeting was scheduled to be held on Wednesday, March 13, 2025.
“However, following emerging issues, including the need to conclude our pending zonal, state, local government, and ward congresses, as well as to allow for further consultations to ensure the smooth conduct of the meeting — especially concerning other proposed activities of our party — the NWC, after due consultation with leaders, stakeholders, and relevant organs of the party, including the Board of Trustees (BoT), the PDP Governors’ Forum, and the PDP National Assembly Caucus, hereby notifies distinguished NEC members that the 99th NEC meeting, earlier scheduled for Wednesday, March 13, 2025, has been unavoidably shifted to Thursday, May 15, 2025.
“All NEC members should please note the change of date and be guided accordingly.
“The NWC sincerely regrets any inconvenience this change of date may cause distinguished NEC members,” the statement said.
A bill seeking to empower polytechnics to award bachelor’s degrees has passed second reading at the house of representatives.
Sponsored by Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house, and Faud Laguda, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker from Lagos state, the proposed legislation aims to amend the Federal Polytechnics Act 2004.
The bill proposes an amendment to section 3 of the Principal Act to include representatives of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in the council of every polytechnic in Nigeria.
Clause 3 of the proposed legislation intends to amend section 8 of the extant law to raise the qualification of those seeking to occupy the position of the rector of federal polytechnics to PhD.
Clause 4 seeks to alter section 15 of the act to enlarge the powers of the academic board to award bachelor of technology (B.Tech) to graduating students.
Leading the debate, Laguda said the amendment will enable polytechnics to “meet up with the demand of the ever-changing world while adhering to the International best practices”.
He appealed to his colleagues to support and pass the bill for the “overall objective is to improve the provision of technical education to Nigerian students through a better organised polytechnic system in Nigeria”.
Lawmakers overwhelmingly supported the bill when the speaker called for a voice vote.