Ngige Knocks Falana Over Comments Asking Striking Resident Doctors Not To Resume After Case in Court.

The Federal Government  has reprimanded  Human Rights lawyer and Acting Chairman of the civil society coalition,  Alliance for Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond (ASCAB)  Mr. Femi Falana for advising members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD)  to continue their strike despite the ruling of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria suspending the action.  

 A statement from the Office of the Minister of Labour and Employment, signed by Emmanuel  Nzomiwu said, “ the attention of the Honourable Minster of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has been drawn to various in media reports in which Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) who  is  the Acting Chairman of the  Alliance for Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond advised striking NARD doctors to ignore the National Industrial Court  Order for all parties  to wit; the Federal Ministry of Health/FG and NARD,  in the dispute before it,  “to suspend all hostilities forthwith,  pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice,” with the matter accordingly adjourned to September 15, 2021  for hearing of the motion on notice and  any other pending application. 

The Minister chided Mr. Falana for offering a very strange interpretation of the court order in which he didn’t  represent any of the parties when the case was first mentioned on August 16, 2021 and  wondered what he stood to gain by using his position  to misadvise  young doctors  in specialist training,  to continue to  ignore or disobey an order of court of competent jurisdiction to stop their strike.   

The Minister said that  in industrial dispute parlance,  strike by an employee is a major form of “hostility” against the employer, in this case, the Federal Ministry of Health/Federal Government as well as the sick in various hospitals across the nation.  

“For the avoidance of doubt , hostility in labour relations in this particular parlance connotes  strike or picketing by the affected employees (Resident doctors) or their employers who can equally use the opportunity to resort to the termination of their employment or recruit new doctors as allowed by the ILO Principles on Strike for essential service workers ( lockout of the striking doctors from their hospitals and loss of employment).”

While noting that Falana is not an expert in  Labour /industrial law , the Minister advised him to concentrate on the areas of law that he is very conversant with  than offering pieces of unsolicited advice to both parties as a Mr. Know-all.  

Ngige observed   that Mr. Falana is not familiar  with what the Federal Government has bent backward to do for the resident doctors to enhance the quality of their training, starting from putting them on a golden  scheme of service (CONMESS) within the period of training as a pensionable career  and the   enactment of the Medical Residency Training Act(MRTA) 2017, including a special Medical Residency Training Fund(MRTF)   put in place by this government to enhance the quality of specialist training .

“ It is certain that Falana is not aware of the 12-point issue resolved at the 20th and 21st August meeting with the Nigeria Medical Association(NMA) and their affiliates.

“ Asking striking doctors to continue the strike is an unpatriotic act against the people who bear the brunt of the strike, otherwise how can the acting chairman of the Alliance for Surviving of COVID-19 and Beyond(ASCABAN)  an alliance professing to assist people survive this pandemic ,  advise striking doctors to continue a  strike which has  so far lasted 21 days and counting ,  in a period of national emergency  . 

“ A patriotic advice to NARD would have been for them to seek  for interpretation or clarification of the order if really there is need for that, after ceasing hostility (strike) forthwith, as directed by the National Industrial Court.  

“ Who are the victims of the abandonment of medical care? Who knows?  May be  some people in some local governments of Falana’s Ekiti State  and possibly, the rural Anambra of Ngige,” the statement said.  

BREAKING: Abducted School children of an Islamic school in Niger Get Freedom After 88 Days in Captivity

APO House  has Learnt that school children kidnapped about 90 days ago from Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School, Tegina, in Niger State, North Central Nigeria have regained Their freedom.

Information from Government circles in Niger State says the school children who were released in the evening of Thursday, August the 26th,  2021, are already on their way to Minna, the Niger State capital.

They are expected to be conveyed to Government House, where they will formally be received by the State Government.

Parents of the school children have  paid ransom to  the abductors pn different occasions, but government would always insist they do not pay any amount to secure the release of kidnapped persons.

Ask what they do for living before opening account for your potential customers - EFCC tells Banks.

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, has urged banks in the country to investigate the sources of income of their potential customers before opening an account for them.

“I will like to urge you to know your customers, know the kind of businesses they do before opening an account for them because some customers will open an account within a space of two months a huge sum of money is found in the account, So there is need for you to try and query these information including their linked accounts,” Bawa said.

Source: Kwara APC Media

NBC Santions Channels TV over Anti-Buhari interview, Presenters Honour DSS invitation

 

NBC Santions Channels TV over Anti-Buhari interview, Presenters Honour DSS invitation

Confusion in Nigeria Over Alleged Plots By Govt To Shutdown popular private 'Media House Channels Tv' Over Guests' Comments

 

APO House Online read a report on the Social media handle of Omoloye Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters an online platform alleging plots to shutdown Channels TV and arrest its journalist.

Sowore in his post alleged the plot is as a result of comment by guests on the stations early morning programme, accusing president Muhammade Buhari of fronting a fulani agenda which fuels insecurity in the country.

The guest were the out spoken PDP Governor Samuel Ortom and a retired Naval officer, Navy Commodore Kunle.

It is not clear to APO House if the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC the regulatory body for broadcasters in Nigeria will go ahead to withdraw the Licence of Channels TV.

As at the time of this report, no statement from Channels TV, Security agencies or the NBC.

Fresh Dastardly Attack Leaves Over 30 People Dead, houses destroyed Plateau, North Central Nigeria

The Plateau State Police Command has not yet reacted to the fresh and dastardly killing of over thirty persons on Tuesday night, by yet to be identified assailants in Community hosting the University of Jos' permanent site.

Houses are reported to have been set ablaze by the Gunmen during a fresh attack in Yalwan Zangam Community,  Jos North Local government area of Plateau State, leaving over thirty persins dead. 

A member of the Community who pleaded anonymity  and the community leader, Mai Angwa Agida Isa say the attackers came at about 8pm Tuesday night.

They say despite several  calls for help from the security operatives, none of them came  because the attackers had disabled the bridge leading to the Anaguta community preventing any access to help before launching their attacks and by the time security operatives arrived, the attackers had finished  and left.

An entire family was burnt alive in their homes while others who sustained injuries are being treated in the hospital he said.

Nigerian Man Who Makes Drones Flown To Finland By A Foreign Company, Gets Aitomatic Employment

APO House Online gathers that Ignatius Asabor, a young Nigerian who makes drones has been flown to Finland and given a job by a foreign company.  Ignatius who makes special drones using local materials was flown to Finland by a foreign company and got employment with the same company.  Breaking the news on Linkedin, the Managing Director of a Finland-based Radai Limited, Mr. Ari Saartenoja expressed happiness at having Asabor work with his company.  Ari who shared the photo of the genius on arrival to Finland, Oulu, said that Asabor will strengthen the survey operations of his team in the future.  His post reads: “Ignatius Asabor, young Nigerian drone talent has just arrived to Finland, Oulu. Ignatius will strengthen Radai’s survey team in future and bring more international expertise in the field.  Welcome Ignatius Asabor to Radai Team!”  Asabor confirmed his arrival to Finland as he posted a picture of himself in Oulu, Finland with caption.

SOURCE: Copied 

DEVELOPING: Armed Bandits who invaded Nigerian Military Demand N200million Ransom For Release Of Abducted Officer.

 

The gunmen who abducted Major Stephen Dantong from the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Afaka, Kaduna, on Tuesday have demanded a ransom of N200 million from military authorities.

The gunmen invaded the Afaka barracks of the academy around 1am, killing two soldiers identified as Lieutenant Commodore Wulah and Flight Lieutenant Okoronwo.

One of the officers who was injured in the attack is currently being treated at a hospital within the barracks.

According to FIJ, the bandits subsequently contacted the defence academy to initiate negotiation on the payment of ransom to secure the release of Datong.

The gunmen reportedly operated for hours and left without any hindrance.

“They couldn’t kill even one of them,” an NDA source lamented to FIJ. “They searched everywhere in the bush but couldn’t find them. They had fled away with their motorbikes.”

“They have called to ask for N200million to free the Major,” the source also said. “The attack was ridiculous. They came, teased us and left. Even the helicopter hovering in the bush could not track them.”

After the attack, Bashir Muhd Jajira, spokesman for the NDA in Kaduna, said the security architecture of the NDA was compromised by unknown gunmen who gained access into the residential area within the Academy in Afaka.

“During the unfortunate incident, we lost two personnel and one was abducted,” he said.

“The Academy, in collaboration with the 1 Division Nigerian Army and Air Training Command as well as other security agencies in Kaduna State, has since commenced pursuit of the unknown gunmen within the general area with a view to tracking them and rescuing the abducted personnel.”

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TETFund approves N292.6bn for varsities, polytechnics, education colleges, okays 217 research grants

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund is to disburse a whopping sum of N292.66 billion to selected public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the country. 

Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, said the intervention which has been okayed by the Federal Government, would be spread to higher education institutions in each of the six geo-political zones in the country. 

According to the 2021 disbursement plans, TETFund is to give N906.8 million to one university each from the six geo-political zones while N628.4 million will go to one polytechnic and one college of education from each of the six geo-political zones.

Bogoro made this known on Tuesday, while welcoming all heads of beneficiary institutions to a one-day stakeholders briefing, at the Nigeria Airforce Conference Centre, Abuja.

At the briefing session, Bogoro also explained that the responsibility of completing the National Library Project in Abuja has been bestowed on TETFund.

According to him, the library project represents an important national asset that should not be ignored on account of funding challenges. 

Bogoro also stressed the importance of research to national development, saying the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has been consistent in approving funds to see that academics churn out quality research that would address emerging challenges bedeviling the country. 

He said this accounted for the setting up of the National Research Fund which has consistently increased from N3 billion to N8.5 billion in recent times.

Professor Bogoro, who expressed delight that Nigeria is moving closer to an emergence of a National Research and Development Foundation, challenged academics in the country to turn around the fortunes of the country through cutting- edge research. 

"Let us apply our innovative research outcome to solve the security problem, let us bring back value addition to the solid minerals that we are blessed with, it is one gold we have not explored to any significant level," he said. 

On the 2021 research grants to lecturers, Bogoro called on the nation’s academics to live up to expectations by churning out good proposals, saying that the Fund is always ready to finance such academic exercise. 

"I have signed the letters of allocation for the research grants that we are issuing out, 217. This is the highest research grant ever. It has never gone beyond 200. We have 217 research grants that have recently been approved,"  Bogoro said. 

Speaking on the recent special allocations by the TETFund's Board of Trustees (BoT), Bogoro revealed that N5 billion each  was approved for University of Lagos (UniLag) and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, for massive infrastructural projects' development. 

The TETFund boss said N1 billion was also approved as funds for the completion of special intervention projects for Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and another N1 billion for Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, adding that more tertiary institutions would benefit from the special allocations in not too distant time. 

Bogoro said TETFund is also providing support to boost research activities in Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), among others, to address the nation's security challenges. 

On TETFund's intervention in the health sector, Bogoro stated that the Fund has provided N1 billion to one university each in the six geo-political zones for medical research as well as providing facilities for treatment of major ailments like prostate cancer, kidney problems, among others. 

"With the Urology and kidney facilities made available, we are expecting a number of our teaching hospitals to come up with the capacity, granted that the equipment we provided, they should be able to do kidney transplant etc, in our universities. 

"We intend to continue strengthening some in terms of cancer facilities, urology research clinical facilities and heart facilities," he said. 

The forum also provided Bogoro an opportunity to explain that the Board of TETFund has approved the review of overseas masters and PhD courses/specialization.

According to him, more emphasis would now be placed on masters or PhD programmes that are science based.

Among the overseas masters and PhD courses specializations with effect from August 2021 includes: Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Biosciences, Biomedical Engineering, Material Science and Engineering, Industrial Systems and Engineering, Geosciences, Behavioural Sciences, Nuclear Engineering, Oceanography, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, among others.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of allocation letters to the beneficiary institutions.

65th National Council ON Education Adopts Collaborative Effort On Schools Security

The 65th National Council on Education, (NCE) which took place in Jalingo, Taraba State from the 9th to 13th of August, 2021, has been concluded. 

Ben.  Bem Goong, Director, Press and Public Relations in a statement said The National Council on Education,(NCE) themed: 'Eradicating Out-of-School Children Phenomenon:  A Tool for the Achievement of Education 2030 Agenda’ had in attendance: the Deputy Governor of Taraba State, His Excellency, Engr. Haruna Manu, who represented the Executive Governor of Taraba State, His Excellency Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku, fnia, the Honourable Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, represented by the Minister of State for Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, OFR, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education (FME), Arc. Sonny S.T. Echono, fnia, State Commissioners for Education, Permanent Secretaries of States’ Ministries of Education, representative of Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Jummai Adamu, Directors from Federal and State Ministries of Education (SMoEs) the FCT Education Secretariat, Heads of Education Parastatals and Agencies, Chairmen of States’ Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) and other stakeholders. 

At the conclusion of the 5-day Council where stakeholders deliberated on ways of moving the nation’s education sector forward, it was agreed that: 

(i) the Federal Ministry of Education, (FME) in collaboration with the States Ministries of Education,(SMoEs),Heads of Tertiary Institutions and Staff/Students Unions and other relevant stakeholders should organise Zonal and National advocacy programmes to improve student enrolment, retention and completion of academic programmes in tertiary institutions on time;

(ii) the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commision, (NUC), National Board for Technical Education, (NBTE), National Commision for Colleges of Education in collaboration with the SMoEs and other relevant stakeholders should monitor Open and Distance Learning (ODL);

(iii) the FME in collaboration with NUC, NBTE, NCCE should conduct Zonal/National Advocacy on improving Open and Distance Learning (ODL) delivery, develop Action Plan/Blueprint and a Stand-alone National Policy for the implementation of ODL in Nigeria;

(iv) the FME in collaboration with SMoEs, Heads of Tertiary Institutions, Employers of labour and other relevant stakeholders should strengthen Education Management Information System (EMIS) for effective data collection and management to develop a data base on the employability of the tertiary educational graduates in Nigeria for effective National planning;

(v) the FME in collaboration with NUC, NBTE, NCCE should conduct skills gap assessment of tertiary education graduates in Nigeria;

(vi) the FME in collaboration with NUC, NBTE, NCCE should adopt an implementable blueprint for employability of tertiary education graduates in the labour market; 

(vii) the FME in collaboration with NUC, NBTE, NCCE should develop a stand-alone National Policy on Skills Development for employability of Tertiary Education graduates in Nigeria;

(viii) the FME in collaboration with NBTE should develop framework/action plan for repositioning Innovation Enterprise Institutions, (IEIs)through Public-Private partnership;

(ix) the FME in collaboration with NBTE should forward a memorandum to Federal Executive Council (FEC) for executive pronouncement on the establishment of Innovation Enterprise Institutions (IEIs);

(x) that a bill be forwarded to National Assembly by the Federal Executive Council for passage of enabling Act on IEIs;

(xi) the FME in collaboration with NBTE should provide technical and financial support for the proprietors of Innovation Enterprise Institutions (IEIs) in the area of infrastructural development, capacity building and National Advocacy for popularization of the institutions; 

(xii) the FME in collaboration with NBTE should encourage the branding of IEIs to reflect uniform nomenclature as a fourth realm of tertiary institution in Nigeria; 

(xiii) the FME, States and the FCT should provide adequate security and protection for teachers in tertiary institutions in the communities that are prone to crises;

(xiv) the  FME should expedite action in the implementation of recommendations on 2014 Needs Assessment to address infrastructural decay and improve the capacity of lecturers in public Polytechnics and Colleges of Education;

(xv) the FME in collaboration with NUC, NBTE and NCCE document students’ drop-out from tertiary institutions and proffer an implementable Action Plan to eradicate drop-out phenomenon and reintegrating drop-out students back to the school system;

(xvi) the Federal and State Governments should implement all labour laws to stem the spate of strike and frequent disruption of the academic calendar in Nigerian tertiary institutions;

(xvii) the establishment of ICT Department in Education in all SMoEs and States Universal Basic Education Boards, (SUBEB) in 36 States and the FCT for monitoring of the e-teaching and learning and other ICT interventions in Education sector;

(xviii) the FME, States and FCT should implement the reviewed National Policy on Gender in Education and its implementation guidelines;

(xix) the Federal, States and the FCT should Strengthen partnership between Government and the private sectors for the provision of relevant infrastructure for special needs children;

(xx) the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools in Nigeria and its Implementation Guidelines should be used as   reference documents for all Education Stakeholders;

(xxi) the reviewed National Policy on Nigeria Education Management Information System and its Implementation Guidelines as a National working document;

(xxii) the FME, States and the FCT to organise advocacy and sensitisation programmes on the implementation of Safe Schools Declaration (SSD) Laws and Policies across the Federation;

(xxiii) the FME, States and the FCT to domesticate Safe Schools Declaration (SSD) Laws and Policies, appoint SSD Desk Officers and organize capacity building programmes based on the peculiarities in their domains; 

(xxiv) that FME, States and the FCT should accelerate the process of disarticulation of Junior and Senior Secondary Schools in line with the 1-6-3-3-4 National Policy on Education;

(xxv) the FME, States and the FCT should provide adequate infrastructure and gender friendly environment through partnership with relevant stakeholders to advance gender equality in promoting Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Subjects in Senior Secondary Schools;

(xxvi) States and the FCT should set up Task Force to enforce sanctions on parents/guardians whose children/wards are on the streets during school hours;

(xxvii) the FME, States and the FCT to establish e-learning centres for Out-of-School Children and ensure the use of Accelerated Basic Education Curriculum (ABEC) at the centres;

(xxviii) States, the FCT and Ministries of Water Resources should complement the effort of the Universal Basic Education Commision, (UBEC) in funding Water Sanitation and Hygiene, (WASH) programme in all Basic Schools in Nigeria;

(xxix) FME, UBEC, SMoEs, Federal and State Ministries of Justice and the FCT should facilitate a stakeholders’ forum to increase awareness through the use of slogan, flyers, media, in order to ensure all State governments that are yet to domesticate the Child Rights Act to do so;

(xxx) the Anaan Language Curriculum be used for Basic Education;

(xxxi) States and the FCT should extend the Homegrown School Feeding Programme to at least Middle Basic Education level;

(xxxii) FME, States and the FCT to evolve and implement coordinated and sustainable strategic enrolment drive campaign to bring Out-of-School Children into school net as well as ensure retention and completion of Basic education;

(xxxiii) FME, States and the FCT to make admission of learners into Basic Education open ended;

(xxxiv) FME, States and the FCT should ensure the distribution and utilisation of the developed Basic Education Certificate Examination Syllabus to States’ Ministries of Education and the FCT Education Secretariat for immediate implementation;

(xxxv) the FME in collaboration with NERDC should present a memorandum on the developed National Language Policy for presentation to the Federal Executive Council, (FEC) for consideration and approval, as a reference document for use in Nigeria by all stakeholders.

The Council also agreed that “Strengthening of Security and Safety in Nigerian Schools for the achievement of Education 2030 Agenda” would be the theme for the next cycle of Joint Consultative Committee on Education, (JCCE) meetings and the 66th National Council on Education, (NCE) meeting.

The 66thNCE would be hosted by the Yobe State Government in 2022.