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Govt warns against exploiting consumers

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Govt warns against exploiting consumers

The Lagos State Government has maintained its unwavering stance against any violation of consumer rights in the state.

The government said its stringent stance would ensure fair treatment for residents in the state.

The General Manager of the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency, LASCOPA, Mr. Afolabi Solebo, gave the assurance during a press conference at the agency’s headquarters in Ikeja on Thursday.

Solebo’s assurance followed growing concerns about reported cases of exploitation and malpractice by some businesses operating within the state.

He said, “We will not tolerate any actions or practices that undermine the rights of consumers in Lagos State. The government’s zero-tolerance policy extends to various sectors, including retail, hospitality, telecommunications, and financial services. Any business found guilty of infringing on consumer rights will face severe penalties, including fines and possible closure of operations.”

Solebo stated that World Consumer Rights Day was observed annually on March 15th to raise awareness about consumer rights and advocate for fair treatment and protection of consumers worldwide, with a focus on specific themes relevant to contemporary consumer issues every year.

“The need to ensure that consumers are protected can never be overemphasised because we are all consumers of one form of product or service at one time or another.

“You are either a consumer of goods or services. This makes it imperative for relevant stakeholders all over the world to take the promotion of consumer rights as a collective responsibility,” Afolabi stated.

Solebo described the theme for this year’s Consumer Rights Day, “Fair and Responsible AI for Consumers,” as “timely and reflective of  the changing landscape of consumer behavior in an increasingly technology-driven world.”

EFCC arrests 48 suspected Internet fraudsters, herbalist in Kogi

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EFCC arrests 48 suspected Internet fraudsters, herbalist in Kogi

The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested 48 suspected Internet fraudsters and a herbalist for offences bordering on conspiracy and obtaining Money under false pretence in Lokoja, Kogi State capital.

The Ilorin zonal Command office of EFCC covers Kwara, Kogi and Ekiti states with the zonal headquarters in Ilorin, Kwara state capital.

A statement by Dele Oyewale, head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, made available to According Metro in Ilorin on Thursday said the suspects were arrested upon credible intelligence on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at various locations in Lokoja.

The herbalist, believed to be the spiritual godfather of the Internet fraudsters, was arrested with various charms, the statement further said.

Items recovered from them included 10 exotic cars, two motorcycles, 11 laptops, 83 mobile phones and charms.

 The suspects, all male, between the ages of 17 and 34 will be arraigned in court upon conclusion of investigations, the statement said.

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Deceased’s relatives allege cover-up as police free murder suspect

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Deceased’s relatives allege cover-up as police free murder suspect

The relatives of the late Lukmon Ajibola, who was beaten to death on Monday, February 5, at Ilepa in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State have raised the alarm over the release of a suspect, Kolawole Akinsanya, from police custody.

According Metro reports that the Ogun State Police Command arrested and put Akinsanya in protective custody for allegedly conspiring with hoodlums to beat Ajibola to death.

A goat belonging to the deceased was said to have strayed into the compound of Akinsanya and ate his dried yam. This was said to have infuriated Akinsanya who allegedly killed the animal in the process.

In his reaction, Ajibola was reported to have confronted Akinsanya over his action which a source said resulted in an argument whereby the latter allegedly invited some thugs who went to attack the former. The source said Ajibola became unconscious after the attack and later died in the hospital.

The Ogun State Police Command, however, confirmed the arrest and detention of the suspect, adding that efforts were under way to apprehend the fleeing suspects.

Speaking to our correspondent on Tuesday, a relative of the deceased said Akinsanya was seen walking freely in the community on Sunday morning.

The relative who craved anonymity claimed the police had refused to charge the suspect to court as promised.

“The police have failed us again. Akinsanya has been released from custody and we learnt he was freed after paying some amount of money to the police. So, human life is so cheap in this country. He was walking freely on the street this morning with his friends. He is planning to throw a welcome party next weekend. This is shameful. The police authorities need to intervene. This can’t be tolerated.”

A source in the community had told According Metro after the incident that Akinsanya had bragged that he would return the way someone who lived two streets away returned after killing another person in the same circumstance the previous year.

The source added that Akinsanya’s colleagues were mobilising funds to secure his release and make the police cover up the case. They were also said to have prevented the police from arresting the three other suspects.

Reiterating the claim, the relative said, “A man called Sunday allegedly killed his neighbour in this area last year and he was arrested and handed over to the police by the community. But he was later released after parting with a huge amount.  This was what Akinsanya relied on that he would also be released after bribing the police.

“The police had pressured the wife of the deceased to accept monetary compensation after receiving a bribe from Akinsanya’s colleagues. The matter was not charged to court as promised by the PPRO. That is one of the reasons why people take to jungle justice most times,” the relative added.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, denied knowledge of the suspect’s release. She said, “I will have to check about that.”

She had yet to reply as of the time this report was filed.

Scale up fight against oil theft, Fubara tells NSCDC

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Scale up fight against oil theft, Fubara tells NSCDC

Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has called on the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps to scale up the fight against illegal bunkering, oil theft as well as protect critical national assets in the state.

He urged the corps to continue to support the military and the police to tackle such acts of economic sabotage, even as he commended the NSCDC for its tireless service in ensuring security at all levels.

Fubara also urged the NSCDC to checkmate the activities of vigilante groups in the state to ensure they don’t act outside the law.

Fubara made call during the 2024 World Civil Defence Day and passing out parade of the NSCDC 2022 regular intakes at the Command’s headquarters in Port Harcourt.

Fubara said the vision of the founders of the NSCDC was not misplaced, as the agency had sustained rigorous support for the Nigerian military and police forces’ holistic peace initiatives in the country and Rivers State.

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, Fubara emphasised that while undertaking its roles of community vigilante across the state, the agency should also ensure community groups work in consonance with rules and regulations establishing them.

He stated, “Please redouble your efforts in support to the military and police to ensure that oil pipelines and all assets are protected, including metal works such as manholes and metal poles from thieves in the state.

“I know that overseeing the private security guards like community vigilante is part of your brief, please ensure they operate according to rules and regulations and work hand-in-hand with established security agencies in the state.”

The governor further applauded the new recruits for their courage to accept the call to national service and persuaded them to remain resilient, as he prayed more young personnel from Rivers State also take-up the challenge to serve.

He said, “I extol the new intakes for your courage to accept this call to national duty because we need all hands on deck to salvage the country and ensure sustainable peace and security. You have taken the right step, I urge you to continue.

“What is important in life is not where you are standing or where you are starting from, but where you will get to. Where you will get to is not also where you are today, but it is determined by who you have decided to become in your mind.

“This is determined by the efforts you are ready to invest, both mentally and physically to transform yourself.

“There is nobody here, whether recruit or senior officers, who cannot become what God has ordained you to become. I urge you to take this seriously, commit yourselves mentally and physically.”

The governor added, “Also upgrade yourselves academically to fit into any position God has ordained you to occupy in life. Congratulations and happy World Civil Defence Day. “

Rivers State NSCDC Zone L Zonal Commander, Aniekan Udoeyop, reiterated the desire of NSCDC to stamp out crimes and criminality in the country and ensure Nigerians are safe.

Udoeyop noted that the Corps will continue to ensure that its officers are disciplined, exemplary, motivated and poised for maximum exploits.

He charged the new personnel, “I urge you to eschew any act that will make the federal, state, local governments and our benefactors regret the huge resources spent on us.”

He noted that the Corps was established to protect critical national assets, champion the crusade against vandalism of piplelines/illegal oil activities, checkmate farmers-herders clashes, ensure safety of schools, disaster management, and intelligence information, amongst others.

The World Civil Defence Day is held every March 1 globally, with the 2024 edition themed: ‘Honour Heroes and Promote Safety Skills.’

Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, the Air Force Commandant and heads of other sister agencies also graced the occasion.

Lagos plans to seize styrofoam in supermarkets, others

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Lagos plans to seize styrofoam in supermarkets, others

The Lagos State Government, on Thursday, reiterated its ban on styrofoam food packs and others in the state, stating that it would deploy its officers to mop up the products in supermarkets across the state.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, stated this at a meeting in Alausa, Ikeja with environmental health officers.

Wahab, according to a statement by the spokesman for the ministry, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, called on environmental health officers from across the 57 local government and local council development areas to work with the ministry.

The commissioner said, “This meeting became necessary in order to ramp up enforcement of the ban and distribution of styrofoam food packs and trays across the state. The pronouncement on the ban of styrofoam was made over three years, but the law was never enforced until now.

“The ministry is set to rejig the operation of all environmental health officers across the local government areas to effectively enforce the law. Officers will be deployed to supermarkets, retailers, and wholesalers to mop up empty styrofoam food containers and trays in stock for onward transmission to the shredding site at Oshodi.”

Wahab said styrofoam constituted a menace to Lagos, being a coastal state, “and as such, it is prone to flooding.”

“Global warming is real and every government needs to put measures in place to mitigate its effects on the environment.

 “Now is the time to save the environment from the menace of styrofoam by coming up with substitutes for styrofoam takeaway packs and trays, as this particular product in question is highly hazardous to health.”

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FG begins 700km Lagos-Calabar coastal highway construction

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FG begins 700km Lagos-Calabar coastal highway construction

The Federal Government on Thursday said it had begun the construction of the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi disclosed in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Orji Uchenna, in Abuja

This is coming one week after the Federal Executive Council approved a contract worth N1.067 trillion for the first phase of the highway’s construction.

The works minister, who addressed journalists after the council meeting, said the 47.47km dual carriageway has five lanes on each side and a train track in the middle.

Umahi explained that it forms part of the 700km road spanning nine states, with two spurs leading up north, noting that the facility would be constructed with concrete.

He said the highway to be constructed using concrete technology would start from Lagos through the nine coastal routes or states up to Cross Rivers, meaning that it will go through Lagos, the Lekki Deep Seaport, Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom.

Though the project was initially franchised on a public-private partnership, the paucity of funds on the contractor’s part made the minister to seek FEC approval to award the project.

The minister had on Tuesday initiated a discussion with the African Development Bank on possible financing mechanisms to hasten the delivery of the project.

In the statement, the special adviser noted that the contractor began the project after the official handover of the first phase of the project, made up of 47.47 kilometres of dual carriageway, to Hitech Construction Company Ltd.

Umahi who was in company with the Federal Ministry of Works’ Controller in charge of Lagos State, Olukorede Keisha, stressed the need for contractors handling Federal Government road projects to deliver within a record time, noting that the government would not allow delays or slow pace once mobilisation has taken place.

He, however, commended very highly Hitech Construction Company Nigeria Limited for being reputable for quality and speedy delivery of jobs. He acknowledged their efforts in starting work immediately after the contract was awarded.

He said, “They have completed some filling of 1.3 kilometres from the day the project was awarded to them. It shows the speed they are going to deploy this project. Within a couple of  weeks, we awarded the project to them, they mobilised a lot of dredging equipment, and you can see that they have recovered 1.3 kilometres of section one of the phase.”

According to the statement, the former Ebonyi governor visited project sites at the Queen’s Drive Ikoyi, Third Mainland Bridge top deck, the underwater, the Eko Bridge and the Carter Bridge and expressed the determination of the Federal Government to carry out a comprehensive rehabilitation of the bridges which he said were critical links between the Mainland and the Island of Lagos, the economic hub of the country.

These repairs are expected to cover not only the top of the bridge but also the under-bridge works.

He said, “At the Third Mainland Bridge, we have three or four critical elements to be rehabilitated. The first one is the deck, and the deck is about 11 kilometres. That is a dual carriageway, including the ramps, and it has been done by CCECC. They have done very beautiful jobs, but we have not concluded.  Before the end of March, we’ll be concluding the asphalt milling and the asphalting.

He further stated, “But that is not all our commitment there. We are installing the guardrails, we are replacing the lights with solar lights, we are going to put some decorative lights too, and then we are going to put CCTV cameras both on top and under the bridge to check insecurity and illegal mining of sand, which is causing scouring on the piles and the pipe bits. The second job is that some sections of the slab are deflected, so we have gotten an expert to understudy the level of deflection. That’s the tendons of the slab that deflected. And so we are going to cut open the slabs, enter and then look at it, scoop it, and then reinstate the tendons of the slab. There’s nothing to worry about. It’s been done at Eko bridge by Buildwell; so this one is not a threat to us at all.

He commended what Julius Berger Nigeria was doing already.

Earlier in their respective remarks, the State Controller,  Federal Ministry of Works and the representatives of  Hitech Construction Nigeria Ltd, Julius Berger Nigeria Ltd, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, and Buildwell Nigeria Limited assured the minister that the work would be done to standard.

Nigeria’s African Games gold medal hopefuls

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Nigeria’s African Games gold medal hopefuls

  • Amusan, Opeyori, Anyanacho, Adekuroye, Oborududu tops list

Quartet Tobi Amusan, Anuoluwapo Opeyori, Blessing Oborodudu and Elizabeth Anyanacho are among the top Nigerian athletes tipped to win gold medals at the African Games in Accra, Ghana, According Sports Extra reports.

Team Nigeria is represented by 358 athletes in 25 sports at the 13th African Games in three Ghanaian cities – Accra, Kumasi and Cape Coast.

Currently ranked second behind Egypt — who have two gold, one silver and one bronze — with one silver and one bronze in the medals table at the Games, which officially begins on Friday (today), Team Nigeria will be banking on world record holder in the 100m hurdles Amusan to win a third successive African Games gold medal in her event. The hurdles heats for the 100m hurdles heats begin March 19.

Table tennis events have been ongoing at the Games, with Aruna Quadri and Offiong Edem claiming Nigeria’s first medals – silver and bronze respectively on Tuesday.

Amusan, 26, a University of Texas at El Paso alumni won gold in the 100m hurdles at the 2015 and 2019 African Games in Congo Brazzaville and Rabat, Morocco respectively.

In February, Amusan set an African record in the 60m hurdles at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston, achieving the feat by clocking 7.75secs and surpassing her previous mark of 7.77secs established in Kazakhstan in January.

In the men’s badminton, reigning African champion and Nigeria’s top-ranked player Opeyori will aim to replicate his heroics at the recent All Africa Senior Badminton Championship in Cairo, Egypt, where he won the African men’s singles title for a third time in a row.

The 26-year-old won gold in the men’s singles and with the mixed team at the last edition of the African Games in Rabat. He also won silver in the men’s doubles.

Having made history by becoming the first Nigerian female taekwondo athlete that will compete at two Olympic Games after picking her ticket at the African Qualifying Tournament in Dakar, Senegal in February, Anyanacho is another gold medal hopeful for Nigeria at the African Games.

The 24-year-old, who won bronze in her debut appearance at the last edition of the Games in Rabat in the 67kg category, looks poised to improve on her performance in Ghana.

A gold medal hopeful in track and field is Favour Ofili in the 400m, who is also a member of the country’s 4×400m relay team.

Also expected to stage a fight for the gold in the 400m is Esther Joseph, who ended the dominance of Patience Okon-George at the national trials in February.

Joseph won the race with a new personal best of 52.00secs while Okon-George finished a distant sixth with a time of 56.06secs.

Israel Okon and Consider Ekanem (100m), Ese Brume (long jump) and sprinter Enoch Adegoke, who is making a return after featuring in the 100m men’s final at the Tokyo Olympics, are also top medal contenders.

In boxing, rising light-heavyweight star Adam Olaore, who is making his debut at the Games after sealing a place at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, is seeking to continue his dominance in his division by claiming the highest prize in Accra.

In only his third major event for Nigeria, the British-bred boxer wants to show his outstanding ability in Ghana.

“Only the best is what I want to be,” Olaore told Olympics.com.

Like Olaore, Ifeanyi Onyekwere is another medal prospect at the Games.

Onyekwere is seen as one of Nigeria’s brightest boxing talents following his bronze medal win at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

In weightlifting, Team Nigeria will also hope to dominate the event, which begins on Sunday, after finishing second at the last edition with a total of 50 medals — 16 gold, 16 silver and 18 bronze. A total of 13 weightlifters are representing Nigeria in Accra.

Part of the country’s medal sure bets in weightlifting include the 2019 African Games gold medallist in -59kg category, Rafiatu Lawal, who is upbeat about her chances in Ghana.

Lawal said, “The team does not see the North Africans as a threat at the Games. Nigeria is the giant of Africa in the women’s weightlifting event and we will continue to dominate for a long time. I am not going to stress myself at the African Games but the tone of the Games will determine my output.”

Also in the men’s -67kg category is debutant Edidiong Umoafia, who believes that the men lifters are ready for competition from other African countries.

The 2022 Commonwealth bronze medallist said, “The lifters are prepared for the event and we are going to give our best. The weightlifting event is going to be very competitive and I hope to win gold medals for Nigeria.”

Other prospects among the women lifters are Morufat Folarin (-45kg), Adijat Olarinoye (-55kg), Ruth Ayodele (-64kg), Joy Ogbonne (-71kg), Taiwo Liadi (-76kg) and Mary Osijo (-87kg).

In tennis, top seeds Oyinlomo Quadri and Marylove Edwards are expected to star in Ghana. Quadre, the highest-ranked Nigerian woman tennis player in the WTA, buoyed by her wealth of experience in the USA, will seek to improve on her debut at the last edition, where she won bronze in the women’s doubles and team event.

In wrestling, duo Odunayo Adekuoroye and Blessing Oborududu are top favourites for gold at the African Games.

Adekuoroye, a three-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, will be desperate to add an African Games gold medal to her enviable collection when she debuts in Ghana in the 57kg class.

She had previously won three bronze and a silver medal at the World Championships, as well as gold at the African Championships and the Islamic Solidarity Games.

Just like Adekuoroye, Oborududu, a silver medallist at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, is another top shot for the gold medal in the women’s 68kg.

She won 12 consecutive gold medals (five in a row from 2018 till date) at the African Championship.

The 34-year-old has won two gold medals, one silver and one bronze at the Commonwealth Games.

In football, Nigeria’s women’s football team is expected to retain their title in Accra.

Security firm denies involvement in Rivers illegal bunkering

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Security firm denies involvement in Rivers illegal bunkering

The Management of an Abia State-based security firm, Martinsevid International Company Nigeria Limited, has debunked allegations that it is involved in illegal bunkering in Rivers State.

The denial came on the heels of allegations against the company by some host communities under the Oil Mining Lease 11 in Rivers and Abia states over the pipelines surveillance contract in the oil field.

The communities, at a press briefing in Port Harcourt last week, accused the contractor handling the surveillance contract on the Imo2/Owaza/Komkom/Ogale truck line of gross incompetence.

The communities, including Isietitioha, Umuorie town, Isimiri autonomous community, Owaza clan in Asa, Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State and Umuedeokwara community, Odagwe in the Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State called on the Federal Government and the Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited to immediately replace the contractor for allegedly aiding and abetting oil bunkering activities.

But speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt, Managing Director of Martinsevid International Company Nigeria Limited, Martins Noah described the allegations as outright falsehood, saying it is a case of corruption fighting back, as the claims of his accusers lacked merit.

Noah explained that Martinsevid was awarded the contract by the Pipelines Infrastructure Nigeria Limited and resumed operations on November 1, 2023 as a pipeline surveillance contractor on the OML-11 trunk line, owned by NPDC.

He said though his contract had been withdrawn by the PINL on February 29, his company, in the four months of its operations in OML-11, uncovered 25 valves installed by vandals and oil thieves through which they perpetrate their illegal bunkering activities

Noah said, “At the time of commencement of the contract, there were so many illegal valves on the line due to the illegal vandalization and illegal oil bunkering activities in the area.

“The allegations that my company and I are aiding and abetting illegal oil bunkering are absolute falsehoods and lack merit. As a person, I have never been involved in illegal oil bunkering, even before getting the surveillance contract.”

The MD further said his profile was verified by PINL, who did due diligence before awarding the contract, pointing out that his profile is still on the company’s website for verification.

He added, “The client, Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, verified my profile and the profile of our company before entering into the contract with us. We have never been indicted in any form. Before our contract, there were several cases of illegal oil bunkering on the said pipeline.

“There were vandalizations and several valves connected to the pipelines through which the vandals, oil thieves and their cohorts, steal and siphon oil.

“The facts are verifiable on the database of our client. The vandals know that their time is up and oil bunkering is over. They know themselves and at the right time, the law will catch up with them. The maintenance team of our client has repaired the line breaks.”

All eyes on Team Nigeria as African Games begin

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All eyes on Team Nigeria as African Games begin

As the 13th African Games officially begins on Friday (today) in Ghana, attention will be on Team Nigeria to continue their impressive performance among the 53 countries at the Games, having featured in all the editions since its inception in 1965, The According reports.

The 2023 Games hold in Ghana till March 23 across three cities Accra, Cape Coast and Kumasi.

For this year’s edition, there are 358 Nigerian athletes vying for medals in 25 sports among the 23 main events and seven demonstration sports in Ghana. Some of the events, such as athletics, badminton, cycling, boxing, swimming, table tennis and triathlon will serve as qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Events like table tennis, badminton, cricket and football started before today’s opening ceremony.

In the history of the Games, Nigeria has usually impressed and are second in the overall medals table behind Egypt with 1,326 medals comprising 470 gold, 428 silver as well as 428 bronze and expectations are high about sustaining the momentum in Ghana.

Former Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Phemmy Adetula, is confident that the contingent will not disappoint Nigerians.

“Our area of strength has been athletics, boxing, wrestling, weightlifting and even table tennis. So, this edition will not be an exception. I was hoping Edem and Aruna Quadri would win the singles titles in the table tennis event but that remains one of the areas Egypt usually dominate at the Games. So, in order to beat them in future Games, we have to build sports like fencing, where they pack medals,” Adetula said.

“I also like what the AFN is doing by going with some home-based athletes and I don’t think that will hinder their chances. We have African champions and world champions and this is how we can also test the strength of the upcoming ones.”

Nigerian female wrestlers, Blessing Oborududu and Odunayo Adekuoroye are also some of the favourites to continue their dominance on the continent and they are joined by two debutants as Nigeria hopes to do a clean sweep of medals in female wrestling.

“We still have the African Championships and other 2024 Olympic Games qualifying series coming up after this, so, we are also using the African Games to measure up while we hope to do better than our previous outings. In fact, we want to do six over six. This time around we have two debutants in Esther Kolawole and Christianah Ogunsanya,” female wrestling coach Purity Akuh told The According.

Cricket is one of the sports debuting at the Games, with Nigeria’s male and female teams in contention for a 2028 Olympic Games spot.

President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, Uyi Akpata, also expects the teams to scale their daunting tests against some of the best teams on the continent at the Games.

“We are very optimistic about our chances. Irrespective of what happens at the Games in Accra, we fancy the fact that in just a short while, our two national teams are ranked well enough to merit the place at the continental event. I can also tell you that we are not going to make up numbers, we have what it takes to make a statement and even win medals,” Akpata told The According.

At the first edition in 1965 in Congo Brazzaville, Nigeria finished second with a total of 19 medals behind the then United Arab Republic. At the last edition in Morocco, the country also finished second behind Egypt with 127 medals altogether (46 gold, 33 silver and 48 bronze).

It’s illogical for varsity JAC to pressure members on strike

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It’s illogical for varsity JAC to pressure members on strike

The Akwa Ibom State government has described the call for resumption of strike by the Joint Action Committee of the state university in Ikot Akpaden, Mkpat-Enin Local Government Area of the state as unnecessary and needless, as it has acceded to all their demands.

The state Commissioner for Education, Mrs Idongesit Etiebet, said this while reacting to the call for resumption of strike by the JAC of the university, comprising the Non-Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institution, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, and the National Association of Academic Technologists

The unions had announced plans to resume indefinite strike from Monday, next week, the government had failed to address their demands more than one month after the state governor, Umo Eno, intervened and approved for payment all contending issues in their demands.

Speaking in an interview with journalists on Tuesday, Etiebet said such proposed industrial action was needless as Eno had already directed payments in lieu of their demands.

Etiebet said, “All the financial demands that the JAC of NASU, SSANU and NAAT of Akwa Ibom State University presented to the governor as their reason for the earlier strike are being addressed as directed by the governor.

“These include the payment of 2023 leave grant, 2023 13th month salary, and approval for payment of palliative for 2023.

“The governor has approved that all of these be paid. But remember, due process has to be followed so that we don’t end up making mistakes.”

On the constitution of governing council for the university, the commissioner noted that “government is in the process of constituting governing councils for all its tertiary institutions.”

The commissioner noted that the process of building hostels for the students was ongoing, as the state government had arranged with a private firm for a Public-Private-Partnership model for the construction of new hostel blocks in the school campus.

Mrs Etiebet wondered why a governor who has been consistent in keeping to his promises to Akwa Ibom people across sectors would have to be threatened with a strike over an issue being sorted out.

She averred, “That should not apply to Governor Eno. When he approved additional N2.7 billion yesterday for the continuous payment of gratuities to retirees in the state, there was neither protest nor strike action by NLC, NUT or even the retirees. Let us continue to believe in him as he believes in good governance.”

She appealed to the unions to continue to show understanding as the payments gradually come to fruition.

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