By Blessing Odega,

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike if the federal government fails to implement the 2017 FGN/ASUU agreement.

Prof. Lawan Abubakar, the Bauchi Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, at a news conference on Thursday in Jos, expressed surprise that the federal government has yet to implement the various agreements aimed at revitalising public universities, as agreed in 2017.

ASUU and the federal government signed an agreement on the revitalisation of the universities and the payment of arrears of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA). We also agreed that the EAA be captured in 2018 universities budgets.

We also agreed on the need for adequate budgetary allocation to education in line with the UNESCO minimum standard of 26 per cent, he said.

Abubakar regretted that only 7 per cent of the total 2018 budget was allocated to the education sector, and called for the immediate release of the N20 billion revitalisation funding.

He enjoined members of the public to put pressure on the federal government to live up to its national responsibility by honouring agreements and MoUs so as to avoid disruptions in academic activities. (NAN)

Source: NAN

By Gami Tadanyigbe

Prof. Abdalla Adamu, Vice Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria, (NOUN), has called on service providers, especially contractors to engage in a transparent public procurement for the development of the country.

Adamu made the call during a-2-day workshop on Public Procurement at the NOUNs headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.

The theme of the workshop titled Overview Of Public procurement ACT 2007 and Process was aimed at sensitising the University on the essence of due process.

According to him, Public procurement is the acquisition of public goods, works and services by public Entities using public fund usually through a third party through a systematic process.

Prior to the enactment of Nigerias Public procurement Act 2007, Nigeria was guided in the purchase of goods and services by financial regulations.

The purpose of this workshop is to make the University aware of public procurement processes and the transparency of this Government.

I inherited this University from excellent predecessors and there is need to maintain the standard by engendering public confidence in government.

Transparent process is geared towards achieving best value for money expended and sanctioning violators of the set rules, he said.

Adamu described the refusal by the Council for Legal Education to admit graduates of the university into law school as unfair.

He said that the council did not seem to recognise the importance of NOUN, despite being accredited by National Universities Commission (NUC).

The vice chancellor added that Law degree programmes in the University had been properly accredited by the NUC and therefore, did not have any issues with quality of law students graduated from the school.

Source: NAN

Adebayo Shittu, the Minister of Communications has been disqualified from the Oyo State governorship race by the screening panel of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress.

He was disqualified for not submitting his National Youth Service Corps certificate, a matter that has dogged him in recent weeks following a disclosure that he skipped the NYSC in 1979 after graduation.

Adebayo went on to serve in the Oyo State House of Assembly as a legislator and has argued that his service at the House was equivalent of serving the nation as prescribed by the NYSC law which became effective in 1973.

Former minister of finance, Kemi Adeosun, recently resigned after being found guilty for forging the NYSC exemption certificate.

Shittus case is on the same scale: he dodged the NYSC and he has been brazenly defending justifying his action.

Skipping the NYSC carries a prison penalty.

Shittus disqualification leaves the coast clear to 7 other aspirants in the state.

They are:

1. Niyi Akintola, SAN Cleared

2.H.E. Christopher Alao Akala Cleared

3.Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe Cleared

4.Dr. Olusola Ayandele, PhD Cleared

5.Dr. Owolabi Babalola Cleared

6.Dr. Azeez Popoola Adeduntun Cleared

7.Adebayo Adekola Adelabu Cleared

Source: NAN

By Vivian Ihechu

Nestl Nigeria on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) Trust Fund to institute a Nestl Prize for Nutrition Reporting.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the aim of the partnership endorsed by the Nigeria Union of Journalists. (NUJ) is to empower media professionals in the area of nutrition and health reporting.

It will also recognise, reward and celebrate excellence among nutrition and health writers.

The DAME is the only award scheme in Nigeria that covers the media disciplines of Journalism, Broadcasting and Advertising.

Founded upon the ideals that the media is the watchdog of the society, as well as the fourth estate of the realm, DAME exists to celebrate and reward superior performance in the fulfilment of such pivotal roles.

The sponsorship of a Nestl Prize for Nutrition Reporting in DAME is another step in Nestl Nigerias continuous collaboration with stakeholders and partners to provide adequate research-based information to help people make healthier food choices.

Nestl recognises the key role the media has to play in achieving this objective.

Signing the MoU at its headquarter in Lagos, the company explained that it had instituted the Prize in collaboration with DAME to empower media professionals in nutrition and health reporting.

The companys Managing Director, Mr Mauricio Alarcon said that it was important to create sustained awareness to improve health indices in the face of the current challenges associated with the triple burden of nutrition undernutrition, over-nutrition and micro-nutrient deficiency in Nigeria.

Alarcon said that that the company was committed to promoting healthy nutrition habits.

Nestle believes that promoting healthy nutrition habits, as well as improving access to nutritious food will have a positive impact on Nigerias health profile.

We strongly believe that when provided with adequate information and training, the media plays a key role in raising awareness of key nutrition, health and wellness issues among stakeholders and the public.

Armed with fact-based information, individuals and families are empowered to make healthier nutrition choices.

We are confident that this partnership will provide a good platform to equip journalists with training and capacity building opportunities to help them perform at optimal capacity, Alarcon said.

The Trustee of DAME, Mr Lanre Idowu, said: We are very happy to haveNestle Prize for Nutrition Reporting on the list of categories for the 27th edition of the prestigious media wards.

This will encourage and give the much needed attention and recognition to exceptional nutrition writers and stimulate interest in nutrition writing, Idowu said.

The Chairman, NUJ Lagos State Council, Dr Qasim Akinreti, commended Nestl Nigeria for sponsoring the nutrition category to fill the gap in that area.

We appreciate Nestl Nigeria for this collaboration ina Nestle Prize for Nutrition Reporting.

This award will not only motivate our members but willalso help us to work toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals which includes health, he said.

Also, Mrs Victoria Uwadoka, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs (CCPA) Manager of Nestle, said that the company was committed to enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future by working with partners to empower individuals to make healthier food choices.

According to her, the Nestle Prize for Nutrition would help to achieve the commitment by training and building the capacity of media practitioners in the field.

Contributing, Mrs Chioma Emma-Nwachukwu, Manager, Nestle Nutrition Institute Africa, said the prize was being put in place not only to promote excellence in nutrition reporting but also improve nutrition knowledge, attitude and practices among Nigerians.

The MoU signing was witnessed by the members of executive of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Trustee of DAME.

Nestle Nigeria Plc begam simple trading operations in Nigeria in 1961 and has today grown into a leading food manufacturing and marketing company.

It is the biggest food company in West Africa, employing about 2,200 people and has three world-class factories.

It manufactures and markets a range of high quality brands including: NESTLE PURE LIFE, GOLDEN MORN, MAGGI, CERELAC and NESCAFE.

Source: NAN

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won the rerun election conducted in some units in four local governments of Osun State.

With the landslide win in the supplementary election, the APC candidate, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola is heading for victory as the governor-elect of the state.

Senator Ademola Adeleke is not too lucky in the supplementary polls held on Thursday to finally determine who emerges as the governor of Osun.

The results of the elections as announced by the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are as follows

Unit 15 Ward 5 Oshogbo local government at supplementary governorship election is as follows

APC 299
PDP 165

Orolu local government , Two wards in unit 4

APC 280
PDP 122

Ife South, Ward 7, polling 12, RA 8 polling unit 10
APC 455

PDP 36

Ife North, Orolu 2, RA 10, polling unit 002
APC 126
PDP 02

The final collation is being awaited as the results presented from the four local government areas would be merged with that of September 22, election which turned out to be inconclusive.

Source: NAN

Adultery is no longer a crime, India’s Supreme Court ruled Thursday, declaring a colonial-era law that punished the offence with jail time unconstitutional and discriminatory against women.

The more than century-old law prescribed that any man who slept with a married woman without her husband’s permission had committed adultery, a crime carrying a five-year prison term in the conservative country.

A petitioner had challenged the court to strike down the law, describing it as arbitrary and discriminatory against women.

“Thinking of adultery from a point of view of criminality is a retrograde step,” unanimously declared the five-judge bench of the Supreme Court.

Women could not file a complaint under the archaic law nor be held liable for adultery themselves, making it solely the realm of men.

The court said it deprived women of dignity and individual choice and “gives license to the husband to use women as a chattel”.

“It disregards the sexual autonomy which every woman possesses and denies agency to a woman in a matrimonial tie,” said Supreme Court Justice D. Y. Chandrachud.

“She is subjugated to the will of her spouse.”

It was the second time this month the court overturned Victorian-era laws governing the sexual choices of India’s 1.25 billion citizens.

Earlier this month, the court struck a ban on gay sex introduced by British rulers in 1861.

The bench argued that Section 377 had become “a weapon for harassment” of homosexuals and “history owes an apology to the members of this community and their families”.

On adultery, government lawyers argued it should remain a crime as it threatens the institution of marriage, and caused harm to children and families.

But in its ruling, the court said extramarital affairs — while still a valid ground for divorce — were a private matter between adults.

In 1954, the court upheld adultery as a crime arguing “it is commonly accepted that it is the man who is the seducer, and not the woman”.

But in their ruling on Thursday, the judges said this narrative no longer applied, noting also that Britain did away with its own laws penalising adultery long ago.

“Man being the seducer and women being the victim no longer exits. Equality is the governing principle of a system. Husband is not the master of the wife,” the verdict added.

Gboyega Oyetola, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress on Thursday swept the two polling units in Ile-Ife, in Osun state, where rerun elections were ordered by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to determine the winner.

Ife South, Oyetola got 283 votes, while the PDP candidate got 15 votes. In Ife North(Unit 2), APC got 126 votes, while the PDP candidate, Ademola Adeleke got just two votes.

In both polling units, polling agents of the PDP candidate were conspicuously absent.

The result of the voting at Ward 5 Unit 7 at Alekuwodo in Osogbo also favoured the APC candidate. He got 299 votes, while the PDP candidate got 165 votes.

The PDP candidate came into the rerun election with an advantage of 353 votes.

But from the unconfirmed tally of votes from the seven polling units, he seemed to have lost his pole position to the APC candidate, by a very wide margin.

Senator Ademola Adeleke, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party won one of the seven polling units in Orolu LG, one of the councils where the rerun election held on Thursday.

He polled 64 votes in Orolu Ward 9, Unit 3 polling unit, while his APC rival, Gboyega Oyetola got 41 votes.

However, the APC candidate beat him by wide margin in Orolu ward 8, unit 4. He polled 198 votes, while Adeleke got a paltry 15 votes.

It was bad news as well for Adeleke in Ife South, where the party’s agent did not report for duty. He got 15 votes, while the APC candidate ran away with 283 votes.

The PDP candidate came into the rerun with an advantage of 353 votes. But he appears to be fading out from his pole position.

It's a blast from the past -- and a peek at the future!

Thirty-four years after Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton made the 1984 movie "The Terminator," the action star-politician, 71, posted incredible then-and-now photos on Instagram to celebrate Linda's 62nd birthday on Sept. 26.

"Happy birthday to my dear friend Linda Hamilton. One of my favorite co-stars, a true bada--, and a wonderful human being. I'm pumped to be back together again," he captioned the mashup, which features a photo of them when they made "Terminator 2: Judgement Day" in 1991 next to a photo of them on the set of the untitled "Terminator 6" film, which is currently shooting in Europe.

View this post on Instagram

Happy birthday to my dear friend Linda Hamilton. One of my favorite co-stars, a true badass, and a wonderful human being. I’m pumped to be back together again.

A post shared by Arnold Schwarzenegger (@schwarzenegger) on Sep 26, 2018 at 2:16pm PDT

The "T6" reboot, which is being directed by "Deadpool" director Tim Miller, will hit theaters on Nov. 15, 2019.

Though it might seem strange that Linda's back as Sarah Connor considering that her character was killed off in 2003's "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines," never fear.
Producer James Cameron (who was once married to Linda, with whom he shares 25-year-old daughter Josephine) told The Hollywood Reporter that the new movie will be a direct sequel to "Terminator 2: Judgement Day."

"This is a continuation of the story from 'Terminator 1' and 'Terminator 2,'" he said. "And we're pretending the other films were a bad dream. Or an alternate timeline, which is permissible in our multi-verse."

"T6" started filming in July in Spain and Budapest. It will also star Gabriel Luna as a new Terminator. Mackenzie Davis plays a soldier-assassin from the future and Natalia Reyes plays a young woman from a working-class neighborhood in Mexico City. Diego Boneta also has a key role.

By Sumaila Ogbaje

In spite of the total shutdown proposed by the organised labour unions in the ongoing nationwide strike, normal activities continued on Thursday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

NAN reports that normal flight operations are smoothly ongoing at both the arrival and departure sections of the airports.

NAN also observed that all major airlines were booking and boarding passengers with airport staff fully on ground for normal services.

Mr Abdulahi Saroke, Station Manager for Max Air, told NAN the strike had not affected flight operations in all airports, adding that he had received flights from Lagos and Kano and boarded passengers to those airports.

However, Saroke said he had heard the news that airports could be shut anytime to join the strike.

When contacted, Mr Francis Akinjole, General Secretary, Air Transport Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN), said that all aviation unions in the country were currently attending their national delegates conference at Asaba, Delta.

Akinjole explained that the delegates conference, at which a new leadership of the National Union of Air Transpirt Employees (NUATE), would be elected, had been planned before the decision by the labour unions to embark on a nationwide strike.

He said the reason why the strike had yet to be enforced at the airports was because all aviation union leaders were out of their stations.

According to him, aviation unions are strongly with the NLC on the strike even though we are not on ground to enforce it today.

We are currently in Asaba for NUATEs national delegates conference for today and tomorrow and we shall enforce the compliance in aviation sector as soon as we finish from here, he said.

A staff of Abuja Airport, who pleaded anonymity, said their various unions had not mobilised them to join the strike.
He said a lot of airport workers were willing to support the strike to press home the demands for a new minimum wage in the country.

According to him, what the labour is fighting for is for the benefit of all workers which is why every worker must be part of this agitation. (NAN)

Source: NAN