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We have not renamed Abuja Murtala Mohammed way – FG
The Federal Government (FG) has dismissed rumours that it has renames the popular Murtala Mohammed Expressed Way in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
In a statement by the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, the FG noted that the news of a purported renaming is false and a rumour.
Rabiu Ibrahim, Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Information and National Orientation said the renaming of the Murtala Mohammed Expressway Way has never been contemplated by this administration.
“For the record, on June 4, 2024, President Bola Tinubu inaugurated a new road in the FCT codenamed Arterial Road N20 (from Katampe to Jahi), which links the existing Outer Northern Expressway (also known as Murtala Mohammed Expressway) to the Northern Parkway (also called Ahmadu Bello Way).”
“During the inauguration of the N20 (which is a new road), FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, proposed to the President that the road be named after Prof Wole Soyinka, and the President agreed.”
“Therefore, it is the Arterial Road N20 that is named after Prof Soyinka. The Murtala Mohammed Expressway remains unchanged and continues to bear the name of our esteemed former Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Mohammed.” He clarified.
The Ministry further citizens to disregard any misinformation regarding the renaming of the Murtala Mohammed Expressway.
By Saka Laaro Ilorin.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has clarified that its members do not relish going on strike, contrary to popular belief.
Speaking at Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, the institution’s ASUU chairman, Abdulganiyu Sheu Salau, expressed the union’s frustration with the federal government’s perceived hypocrisy.
According to Salau, the government’s actions have left the union with no choice but to embark on strikes to press home their demands.
He emphasized that ASUU is tired of the government’s failure to honor agreements and address the lingering issues in the nation’s education sector.
The union recalled that in 2009, the federal government reached an agreement with the ASUU on key issues bordering on conditions of service, funding and university autonomy without fulfilling the agreement.
“Members of ASUU are parents who have students in various Nigerian universities. Why would we want a case whereby our children are sent home? But we have to go on strike because we’ve reached out to government on several occasions and there was no response. We’ve gone through the normal doors and backdoors, but nothing has happened. And the last resort, as allowed by the law establishing universities, is to go on strike. Our members are being owed and some are leaving the country in droves for South Africa and England, for example.
“I want to say with all authorities that struggles and strike by the members of the union brought about some of the infrastructures we have today, especially, in this university. So, if we’ve not been struggling, Nigerian universities would have been down. We’re not strike mongers and we don’t always love to go on strike. We’re hardworking citizens. That’s why we’re sensitizing members of the general public, students, market women, stakeholders, etc about the situation. We don’t want to go on strike but we can’t be teaching in empty stomach. Our senior colleagues (professors) are earning just $300. What can we do with that?”, he asked rhetorically.
The union also criticised the federal government for non-implementation of UNESCO recommendations of a 26 per cent benchmark educational budget
for underdeveloped countries like Nigeria, as advocated by the union. Salau, who lamented low education budget in the country, said that successive Nigerian governments have allocated an average of 5 to 8% of their budgets to education over the last 10 years.
He also said that one of the contending issues is the funding for the Revitalisation of Public Universities based on the FGN-ASUU MoU of 2012, 2013, and the MoA of 2017.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration has disbursed N3.62bn to the six Area Councils, teachers, and pension schemes as statutory allocation for May.
The Minister of State FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, presided over Tuesday’s 190th FCT Joint Account Allocation Committee meeting in Abuja.
Mahmoud said that N1.14 billion was set aside for the six area councils, while N2.49bn was earmarked for teachers and pension schemes.
The minister equally said that Bwari Area Council received N152.8m, Abaji N119.49m, and Kwali N167.52m.
The minister said that of the N2.49bn earmarked for teachers and pension schemes, N2.12bn was allocated to primary school teachers, while N36.25m was set aside as a one-percent Training Fund.
She also said that a total of N226.48 million was set aside as 15 per cent Pension Funds, while N107.85m was earmarked as 10 per cent employer pension contribution.
Strike not a pleasant option for us – ASUU
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