LAUTECH: Ajimobi urges ASUU to end strike

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state has urged the striking staff of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso to end its industrial action in the interest of the students of the institution.

Ajimobi made this appeal on Monday, while inaugurating members of the Oyo State Education Trust Fund headed by Chairperson, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mrs Onikepo Akande.

Speaking, he asserted the commitment of the two owner states to addressing the challenges facing LAUTECH, just as he expressed optimism that a new governing council soon to emerge will drive the institution towards prosperity.

“Today, it is a worrying development that qualitative education which used to be the pride of the South West region has sadly regressed.

While several reasons can be adduced for this unacceptable development, one thing is now crystal clear, that is, we can no longer live in denial of the parlous state of the education sector and its malignant effects on our society.”

“This brings to mind the lingering issues surrounding Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso.
While the two owner states of Oyo and Osun are doing everything within our powers to quickly resolve the challenges associated with the institution, it is my hope that the striking teaching and non-teaching staff will give peace a chance and cooperate with us. They need to end the strike, give peace a chance and get students back to their lecture rooms at the earliest possible time,” he said.

ASUU had commenced its latest strike to demand for payment of outstanding salaries and increased funding.

Meanwhile, Ajimobi charged the Oyo ETF to see to the successful completion of education intervention projects and mobilisation of funds to improve infrastructural facilities in schools and the education sector, in its entirety.

The Onikepo Akande-led ETF will derive fund from the Internally Generated Revenue of public institutions (IGR) in the state, Value Added Tax (VAT) accruing to the state and local government, fees paid by each student in private institutions, grants, donations and other sources as legislated in the Oyo State Education Trust Fund law 2016.

State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Adeniyi Olowofela, added that the fund was to engender involvement of communities and other stakeholders in developing the education sector.

On behalf of other members of the board, Mrs Onikepo Akande avowed commitment to complementing government’s efforts in addressing the funding challenge facing states in giving attention to education and other sectors.

The Oyo ETF comprises representatives of the state Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Parents Teachers Association (PTA), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the state’s tertiary institutions.

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CBN injects $142.5m into Forex market

Days after intervening in the retail segment of the foreign exchange market with $254.3million, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Monday again injected a total of $142.5 million into the inter-bank foreign exchange.

A breakdown of the Monday’s intervention indicates that the Bank offered the sum of $100million to dealers in the wholesale segment, while it allocated the sum of $23 million to the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) segment.
Those requiring foreign exchange for invisibles such as tuition fees, medical payments and Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) received $19.5 million.

Confirming the latest round of forex intervention, the spokesperson of the apex Bank, Isaac Okorafor, said the CBN will continue to carry out its regular mediation in the market so as to keep the market liquid and guarantee the international value of the naira in line with its mandate.

While reiterating the Bank’s resolve to intervene in the market based on bids received from dealers on behalf of their respective customers, Okorafor said the CBN will not relent in ensuring transparency and efficiency in the sale of forex.

According to him, this commitment prompted the Bank to mandate dealers to make public their forex utilisation.

He therefore urged all stakeholders to continually play their roles to guarantee transparency in the market.

It will be recalled that the CBN last Friday intervened in the retail segment of the forex market to the tune of $254.3m following bids received from forex dealers by the apex Bank.

The figure sold by the Bank was for companies in the raw materials, agricultural, airline and petroleum industry.

Meanwhile, the naira maintained its stand at the Bureau de Change (BDC) segment of the forex market, exchanging at an average of N364/$1 in Lagos, Abuja and Kano.

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Yam Export policy: Ogbe advises critics to grow yam

Chief Audu Ogbeh, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, has advised critics of the Federal Government yam export policy to grow the commodity.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, Ogbeh dismissed the criticisms of the policy, saying that the effort was in the best interest of the nation’s economy.

He said the energies being dissipated by critics in condemning the initiative could be better used to produce yam, a staple in most parts of the country.

The minister allayed the fears of some Nigerians who believed that the policy would lead to shortage of yam in the country.

According to him, there is currently a glut in yam production in the domestic market.

“I have seen attacks on the social media. There are questions all over as to why we are exporting yam when Nigerians are said to be hungry.

“With all due respect, Nigeria accounts for 61 per cent of the world output of yam. We have 60 varieties of yam in this country.

“In fact, 30 per cent of the yams we produce get rotten because we don’t have facilities to preserve them.

“Ghana is a famous country for exportation of the commodity, but most of the yam they export is from us.

“There has never been shortage of yam in the country. Prices might be high toward the end of the season, but new yam is already in the market.

“Why are you so cowardice, Why lay back by not trying anything because of some sentimental reasons that might be raised.’’

Critics of the policy believe that investment in local processing of yams into finished products is of more economic benefit to the country than exporting the commodity.

But the minister dismissed this suggestion, arguing that export made more economic sense than processing.

“Analysts are saying that we are supposed to add more value to yam production in order to earn more money, fantastic view.

“But they forget to tell us how much a tuber of yam costs in the USA.

Three kilogrammes cost 15 dollars, which is equivalent to about N5,000.

“In London, a cartoon of yam, this contains three tubers, costs 30 pounds, bringing the average cost per tuber to 10 pounds.

“At that price, it is more sensible to export to earn more money for our economy.

“Economy is 90 per cent common sense. You can’t keep on buying until you are broke. What are you selling?”

To further buttress his point, the minister said foreign trade partners came to complain when Nigeria limited its food imports.

“They complained that we were not buying stock fish from them. I asked them if they were buying anything from us. Let us do some selling as well too.

“Nigerians should stop the sarcasm and negativity in trying to rubbish every government policy. If Ghana can export yam, Nigeria too can.”

The minister commended the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) for setting guidelines for yam exporting, promising that the standards would be adhered to.

Ogbeh urged the commissioners of agriculture in states to keep on educating farmers to use the right yam seedlings to increase their output

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2019 election: Northern youths pick Presidential candidate

The Northern Youth Leaders’ Forum, NYLF, have reiterated their position to retain the office of the President come 2019.

The group had last month declared its readiness to ensure that the North produced the president in 2019, vowing not to not allow a repeat of the 2011 scenario when the North lost the presidency to the South on account of Yar Adua’s death after about two years in power.

Frowning at what it described as the “scheming” and “manoeuvres” in the country suggesting southern interest in the 2019 presidency, the forum, through its Leader, Comrade Elliot Afiyo, said, “We want to reiterate and clearly warn that the North will not the presidency to move to the South in 2019.”

The forum said they had made their position known on June 6, 2017 in Abeokuta during a meeting with South-West political leaders.

They added “The experiences of 2011 and 2015 still remain fresh in our minds. To show our commitment towards this goal, the Northern Youth Leaders Forum has short-listed and screened candidates for the 2019 presidency.

“Those short-listed and screened during our NEC meeting in Kano on April 16, 2017 are: Senator Bukola Saraki, Alhaji Sule Lamido, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Governor Nasir El-rufai, Senator Bala Mohammed, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki, Senator Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso, Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo, Senator Ali Modu- Sheriff, Governor Ibrahim Shettina, Governor Abdul’Aziz Abubakar Yari and Governor Aminu Tambuwal.

“Out of these 12 persons screened by our Political Committee, the following were short-listed and endorsed by the NEC during our meeting in Kaduna on May 17, 2017: Senator Bala Mohammed, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki (SAN), Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo.

“We sent the endorsed persons to our patrons and the leadership of the 42 affiliated organizations who screened and endorsed only two candidates who were considered during our meeting in June 2017 in Kano.

“Out of the two that were endorsed, that is, Senator Bala Mohammed and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Senator Bala Mohammed was finally endorsed and was also accepted by our patrons.

“We believe, and strongly too, that Senator Bala Mohammed is a detribalized Nigerian who does not attach sentiments of religion and ethnicity in his dealings with any citizen.

“He also has goodwill and acceptability both nationally and internationally. His credibility is unquestionable and his loyalty and interest of the North within the national interest is surely not in doubt.

“We want to send a message to all political parties that may field southern presidential candidates in 2019, that their actions are as good as committing political suicide.

“Our elders are also advised to steer clear of supporting any presidential candidate from the South in 2019 as we cannot afford to gamble with the presidency as we did in 2011. This is our stand point and there is no going back.”

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2019 Presidency: ADP reveals replacement for Buhari

The Action Democratic Party (ADP), has revealed that it has zoned the presidency to the North and will grant the South-East a slot for the vice presidency.

The ADP made this known through its South-South zonal coordinator, Senator Rowland Owie.

Owie during an interview with Vanguard said, “For 2019, we have zoned our presidential candidate to the North and our vice presidential slot to the South-East because where there is no justice, there can be no peace.”

Senator Rowland Owie added, “In 1987, it was to be the turn of the South-East to produce the president after Shehu Shagari, but it was aborted. The south-easterners have been the bedrock of development of this country, so their rights must be given to them. After the North has finished its slot and presidency returned to the South, it will go to the South-East.

“You cannot continue to deceive the Igbo. So, the truth is that we now know those who destroyed PDP, we now know those who destroyed ACN that is now APC. Certainly, even though the nation’s Constitution says that nobody can stop anybody from entering a political party, we know those to stop; so the issue of hijacking will not come up.”

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