ASUU strike: Politicians’ children must be banned from schooling abroad, in private universities-HURIWA

..URGES ASUU NOT TO VICTIMISE STUDENTS WITH PROVOCATIVE STRIKES

Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA) on Wednesday, said for the recurring industrial actions by the Academic Staff Union of Universities to end once and for all, politicians and government officials must be banned from sending their children and wards for academic purpose of schooling in private institutions and in foreign jurisdictions. 

HURIWA has also described the quick resort to strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities as lazy and irrational since the members of the Union can as well adopt other proactive, constructive and elaborate alternatives to strikes such as publicising the schools and names of Children of Nigerian public office holders schooling in Western Europe,  Canada and the USA and to write protest letters to those schools informing them that Parents of their Students of Nigerian origin who are in charge of public affairs have sabotaged University education and have therefore decided to fund their Children’s Academic activities from stolen public funds of Nigerians. 

HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade  Emmanuel Onwubiko, emphasised that until the children of public officers have no educational alternative both at home and abroad, the perennial strike by public university lecturers won’t be earnestly resolved by those in power. The group therefore Advocates what it calls constructive blackmail of Government officials by the Academic Staff Union of Universities as a possible strategy to compel the central government to honour the promises and agreements reached between government and ASUU.  

The group lamented that the intermittent industrial actions embarked upon by aggrieved university lecturers due to government’s failure to meet certain agreements and conditions is inimical and counterproductive to the bulging over 34 million youths.

HURIWA further said that for a country with over 40 million out-of-school children, prolonged stay out of tertiary institutions by youths will fill the crime pool of bandits, fraudsters, ritualists, armed robbers, prostitutes, amongst others.

ASUU, on March 14, at the expiration of its four-week warning strike which it declared on Monday, February 14, 2022, extended the industrial action by two months.

The union led by Professor Emmanuel Osodeke said it made the decision to extend the strike so as to give the Federal Government and its agencies enough time to meet the lingering demands of the union.

The union had embarked on a nine-month strike in 2020 before it was called off in December of that year.

But ASUU said this week that the government had failed to satisfactorily address all the issues raised in the 2020 FGN/ASUU Memorandum of Action but the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, insisted that the Federal Government had met all of ASUU’s demands including funding for revitalisation of public universities (both Federal and States), renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ ASUU Agreement and the deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution.

Other demands of the union as listed by ASUU include Earned Academic Allowances, State Universities, promotion arrears, withheld salaries, and non-remittance of third-party deductions.

Reacting on the impasse so far, HURIWA’s Onwubiko declared, “The Federal Government which is saddled with the provision of quality education has failed woefully. It is more pathetic that government officials including the two education ministers have maintained indifference in meeting ASUU’s demand once and for all and not in piecemeal.

“To think that the present government has eight years to address the matter and it has failed to do so in the last seven years is unthinkable. The reason, however, is not farfetched; every now and then, politicians and government officials flaunt photos of the matriculation and the graduation of the children in first-class universities abroad and a very few in private universities back home unaffected by the perennial industrial actions by ASUU and other unions in tertiary institutions. They do this at the chagrin of abandoned Nigerian students back home who are forced out of school and their stay of four or five years elongated to over seven years due to ASUU strikes.

“HURIWA posits that the National Assembly must be resolute and make laws banning politicians from sending their wards overseas for studies so that all hands can be on the deck to resolve ASUU lingering crisis.

“Nigeria is sitting on a time bomb if ASUU strike is allowed to linger as there are connections between rising criminality and out-of-school students. The government must make hay while the sun shines. HURIWA has also warned that the strike would push thousands of students into such crimes like yahooyahoo and to be available for active recruitment to carry out terrorism. The continuous closure of Public tertiary institutions is a grave threat to national security interests of Nigeria and must be brought to an end immediately. 

March 16, 2022

Emmanuel Onwubiko

National Coordinator – HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA).

Working in the 21st Century with GreyHobb (Greysoft Technologies – www.greysoft.ng)

The Covid-19 pandemic came with a truckload of revelations. It is clearly possible for people to work from outside traditional office spaces and still achieve results. Also, since working from home comes with its own share of distractions such as the assurance of electricity supply in this part of the world, internet integrity, the absence of a semi-work environment where one could call out Amina from the next workstation and ask her opinion on a professional matter, children interruption during work hours etc., Greysoft Technologies – www.greysoft.ng decided to design a beautiful and serene co-working space (The GreyHobb) to take away all your headaches and the best part here for startups looking to spend a fortune on setting up their own office space is that they can just save that money and come to GreyHobb for as low as 15k monthly subscription.

Co-working spaces can lower a company’s real estate costs and provide greater flexibility in procuring and managing space. As a business strategy, co-working can be more cost-efficient than creating dedicated office space in certain markets with a large percentage of highly mobile employees. For businesses seeking to quickly enter new geographic markets, co-working also provides a more efficient alternative to planning, designing, constructing and relocating to a new permanent office space.

GreyHobb provides its visitors with an inspiring work and relaxation environment. On entry, you’ll spot an outdoor work area, heavily supplied with unwavering electricity and internet supply. You will also notice the abundance of breeze, clean oxygen air, blowing in from all corners. This is because of the lavishness of trees in the premises. As you approach the hub, you’ll notice to your left, the cafeteria with two external gazebos where co-workers can sit and eat as well as work. Behind is an external urinary where gents can go to do their thing. Inside the structures are well ventilated rooms, artistic sceneries with inspiring quotes and texts. The highpoint of it all is the culture that is practiced by the people in this environment, both staff and co-workers. A sharing ecosystem with everyone eager to learn and contribute to the growth of the other.

At GreyHobb, we can say we agree with the Nigerian artist Davido when he said; “We Rise by Lifting Others”.

Top Five (5) Tech Innovation Hubs and Co-working Spaces in Kaduna

Kaduna state in Northern Nigeria famed for coming tops on Ease of Doing Business is rapidly adopting technology in almost all its endeavours. This naturally translates to an increase in digital activities around the state. In the last few years, we have seen tech innovation hubs emerge but the most prominent ones to engage if you were a stranger looking for a really great hub are as given below;

GreyHobb, a Modern Co-working Space

These were the words of the CEO of Greysoft Technologies/GreyHobb, Isah Raphael when we asked him about what inspired the level of excellence at GreyHobb. Right at the top of the company’s list of values is “people”. The hub profoundly ensures that people feel welcome and comfortable when they enter into its premises. The environment in itself is serene, neat and friendly. It is built in a way that it captures basic needs. From the outdoor working spaces, access to constant electricity and internet supply, a cafeteria with two gazebos for eat-outs, trees and flora that more than present an exquisite scenery, provide a maximally aerated environment. Your experience can be nothing short of remarkable! www.greysoft.ngTraining programs are diverse and unique; from basic digital literacy programs to emerging technologies. GreyHobb is also a Certiport Authorized Testing Center (CATC) licensed to train and administer exams on IC3 program packages.

The internal offices are well built and cozy such that it fosters work and relaxation. The inscriptions on the walls inspire possibilities and the space managers are happy to listen and reason with visitors always.

The creative space is called GreyCreate. Its partnership with Rabitz Studios (www.rabitzstudios.com) has seen it churn out tons of creative content from events, films, music and cultural contents.

What stands out in GreyHobb is the way the community is built. People are happy to share ideas with one another. A co-worker is eager to help the next in need and that is not a very common feat in most co-working spaces. Surely, a great deal of work must have gone into building such a community.

GreyHobb, Kaduna – Beyond Co-working

GreyHobb, Kaduna – Beyond Co-working

At its core, GreyHobb (by Greysoft Technologies – www.greysoft.ng) seeks to create strong communities and foster synergies, adding greater value to everyone who participates in the ecosystem. The dynamic energy of this space helps people feel that they are part of something larger than themselves and that others care about their success and want to help propel their ideas forward.

Greysoft Technologies Nigeria – http://www.greysoft.ng is at the heart of tremendously alleviating poverty through a strong campaign and implementation of digital literacy. The Greysoft Innovation Hub popularly known as GreyHobb, situated in Kaduna state of Northern Nigeria has a simple mandate – “Help people leverage technology for improved livelihood“.

Greysoft’s CEO, Isah Raphael in an interview stated that “with the right level of digital literacy, poverty can be rapidly alleviated if not eradicated”. According to GSMA, the number of smartphone users in sub-Saharan Africa is estimated to reach half a billion in 2021, up from a subscriber base of 477million in 2019. The African population is largely youthful and to keep these youth idle is to make them available for employment as instruments that foster activities which pose threat to local communities, like thuggery, insurgency and banditry. Most of these youngsters own a smartphone. These phones can access the internet and browse opportunities on freelance platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, etc.

GreyHobb is training young people on how to live online by first acquiring basic competences on digital literacy (IC3 standard), as well as developing freelance solutions that match menial job givers with job seekers. After training, trainees are linked to online freelance platforms and provided with access to mentorship. Some of the trained youth who emerge above expectation may be hired to also become mentors to others. This is a process that will be iterative until the result is in sight.

Working in the 21st Century with GreyHobb (Greysoft Technologies – www.greysoft.ng)

Working in the 21st Century with GreyHobb (Greysoft Technologies – www.greysoft.ng)

The Covid-19 pandemic came with a truckload of revelations. It is clearly possible for people to work from outside traditional office spaces and still achieve results. Also, since working from home comes with its own share of distractions such as the assurance of electricity supply in this part of the world, internet integrity, the absence of a semi-work environment where one could call out Amina from the next workstation and ask her opinion on a professional matter, children interruption during work hours etc., Greysoft Technologies – www.greysoft.ng decided to design a beautiful and serene co-working space (The GreyHobb) to take away all your headaches and the best part here for startups looking to spend a fortune on setting up their own office space is that they can just save that money and come to GreyHobb for as low as 15k monthly subscription.

Co-working spaces can lower a company’s real estate costs and provide greater flexibility in procuring and managing space. As a business strategy, co-working can be more cost-efficient than creating dedicated office space in certain markets with a large percentage of highly mobile employees. For businesses seeking to quickly enter new geographic markets, co-working also provides a more efficient alternative to planning, designing, constructing and relocating to a new permanent office space.

GreyHobb provides its visitors with an inspiring work and relaxation environment. On entry, you’ll spot an outdoor work area, heavily supplied with unwavering electricity and internet supply. You will also notice the abundance of breeze, clean oxygen air, blowing in from all corners. This is because of the lavishness of trees in the premises. As you approach the hub, you’ll notice to your left, the cafeteria with two external gazebos where co-workers can sit and eat as well as work. Behind is an external urinary where gents can go to do their thing. Inside the structures are well ventilated rooms, artistic sceneries with inspiring quotes and texts. The highpoint of it all is the culture that is practiced by the people in this environment, both staff and co-workers. A sharing ecosystem with everyone eager to learn and contribute to the growth of the other.

At GreyHobb, we can say we agree with the Nigerian artist Davido when he said; “We Rise by Lifting Others”.

Why Coworking is best for Startups – The GreyHobb experience

Why Coworking is best for Startups – The GreyHobb experience

Co-working spaces are flexible and shared work environments that make significant effort to connect users with supportive networks that commonly result in efficient work outputs, high level of collaboration and knowledge transfer.

Startups are usually small by nature and definition in the sense that the founders do not have big money in most cases. They also lack well-rounded experience in their field and the complete man-power they need; talk more of having the wherewithal to rent a fully furnished office space, powered with uninterrupted 24hr electricity and internet supply to run a successful venture. That’s why Apple, Facebook and the likes started from the garage.

GreyHobb, a co-working and creation innovation hub in Kaduna, Nigeria, founded by Greysoft Technologies Limited – http://www.greysoft.ng, sets off in a mission to help people leverage technology for improved livelihood, with a vision to achieve optimal access to digital opportunities. At GreyHobb, every startup is already incubated on sign up. This is evident in the structure of the community of co-workers, as each is carefully admitted in line with Greysoft’s values and vision. Joining an umbrella of innovative minds on a journey to solve problems digitally means that you are in the right space, if that’s your angle.

What’s important is that you immediately have access to a pool of mentors who are already walking the path you are dreaming of. You also have access to manpower, such as; digital marketers, product designers, developers etc. and some of these come in for free if you have good social skills. Naturally, you would have to hire these services and pay through your nose, but hey! The lady behind you is a good content writer and she could help you with a killer article if you ask nicely or at least show you how.

GreyHobb is well designed with external features such as gazebos for folks who like natural air and open spaces. The cafeteria is also built as gazebos so you can enjoy an all-round work experience whether you were indoors or outdoors. There’s also an external urinary and a wonderful ecologically friendly environment littered with trees everywhere, making the air clean and healthy to breathe.

There is also a crypto trading community at GreyHobb that trades for members just to ensure that members get richer – can you beat that?!As far as co-working spaces are concerned in Kaduna and I daresay Nigeria is concerned, GreyHobb is one of a kind.SHARETWEETPINSHARE

Top Ten (10) Tech Innovation Hubs and Co-working Spaces in Nigeria

Top Ten (10) Tech Innovation Hubs and Co-working Spaces in Nigeria.

Buhari should sign HND/BSc dichotomy bill: Nigerian Polytechnics

he Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the Higher National Diploma (HND) and Bachelor’s Degree (BSc) dichotomy bill, recently passed by the National Assembly.

Adebanjo Ogunsipe, SSANIP National President, said this in a communique issued at the end of the quarterly meeting of the union’s General Executive Council, on Thursday, in Abuja.

Mr Ogunsipe said expediting action on the bill would be in the interest of the growth and development of polytechnic education.

“Council wishes to commend the National Assembly for painstakingly seeing the HND/BSc Dichotomy Bill, to a logical conclusion, while it is currently before the president of the country, awaiting his assent,” he said.

He described the non-payment of salaries of some state polytechnic workers as “insensitive,” adding that they were unhappy with the persistent refusal of many state governments to implement the new minimum wage.

Mr Ogunsipe identified some of the polytechnics owed salaries as Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo (11 months’ unpaid salaries), the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Osun (30 months’ unpaid half salaries), College of Technology, Esa-Oke in Osun (30 months unpaid half salaries) and Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, (28 months’ unpaid salaries).

The unionist added that ”council-in-session, for the umpteenth time, wished to express her displeasure at the unrepentant and seeming deliberate poor funding of Polytechnic education by some state governments in the country.”

(NAN)

The NYSC YouthTrust Fund Is An Idea Whose Time Has Come; – HURIWA

The foremost and leading civil rights advocacy group; Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged for the speedy consideration of the request officially made to President Muhammadu Buhari by the Management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for the setting up of a solid footing of a Trust Fund for youths under the auspices of the National Youth Service Corps Scheme.

HURIWA, in a statement by the National Coordinator; Comrade Emanuel Onwubiko revealed that aside the positive, transformational and constructive social impacts the youth trust fund would bring, the initiative is about the surest panacea to end the perennial youths involvement in social crimes, noting that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.

Endorsing the proposal put forward by the Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim- led NYSC, which now beckons for the urgent approval by the President, HURIWA informed that the Trust Fund will create partial or full financial autonomy for the scheme in funding its administrative operations while also assisting Nigerian graduates, privileged to pass through the scheme in offering a window to draw capital for their entrepreneurial exploits, after the post-service era.

More so, HURIWA noted that the investment capital which will be offered by the NYSC Trust fund to graduated Corps members will be a formidable backup to the knowledge acquired in the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme. This in the examination of HURIWA is the motivation of Brigadier-General Ibrahim for his recommendation and loud preachments for the creation of this trust fund that would ensure the financial empowerment of all corps members after the national service year.

“The Director- General of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme; Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim is a foresighted administrator. He is an administrative pathfinder of admirable qualities. In matters of public administration, he is like the famed seers of ancient days. He sees tomorrow with crystal clarity and begins to work on any obstacle today. His inclination to a prosperous Nigerian youths is unbeatable.

“Since assumption of office, as the NYSC boss, Brigadier Gen. Ibrahim has been in ceaseless motion in the search for better ways to reposition the scheme to fully discharge its mandate. The DG has reactivated NYSC investment platforms; upgraded and modernized the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme. Obviously, corps members are savouring the gains of his repositioned NYSC in diverse ways.

“In further pursuit of his dreams to bequeath a better scheme to Nigeria, Brigadier General Ibrahim has proposed a vigorous campaign for the establishment of the NYSC Trust Fund. When he first voiced the idea, doubters might have probably assumed he is bluffing. But the national endorsements and acceptability of this proposal now is amazing, which is only comparable to the Scriptural mustard seed”, HURIWA enthused.

Highlighting further on the need of having a transparently administered NYSC Youths Trust Fund, HURIWA averred that the brilliant idea by the management of NYSC would definitely change the fortunes of the scheme and its participants dramatically being that the NYSC management envisaged a Trust Fund which will be backed by legislation and draw its funding from a stipulated percentage of profits of corporate bodies in Nigeria as graduate unemployment is one of Nigeria’s greatest headache.

Continuing, the rights group asserted that once the NYSC Trust fund is approved by President Muhammadu Buhari and takes off, the number of young Nigerians who pass out from the scheme to face a depressing future by roaming the streets and knocking on the doors of government offices in search of white-collar jobs would reduce drastically.

“The NYSC Trust Fund is designed to assist them with seed capital based on the stipulations of the Act establishing it, in order to try their entrepreneurial skills and possibly, transform into employers of labour. It is a foundation to self-reliance and financial independence.

“Truly, the moments of joblessness after graduation and the mandatory service year are frustrating and quite traumatic. It stains the joy and pride of citizenship. So, an effectively managed NYSC Youth Trust Fund will be another method of tackling massive youth employment in the country.

“The pride of every patriotic citizen is to render service to his nation. In Nigeria, the NYSC is providing a veritable platform for the actualization of this aspiration for educated Nigerian youths below 30 years of age. And the excitement of service year, lingers long in the minds of young Nigerian graduates. Besides, the scheme has served as weapon for cultural and social integration among Nigerians”, HURIWA posited.

Again, HURIWA believes that an NYSC Trust Fund will conveniently address the subsisting challenges of infrastructural decay and funding which have strangulated the smooth operations of the scheme over the years. The rights group further trusts that the proposed NYSC Trust Fund will serve as a vault that will provide ‘seed money’ for graduate youth entrepreneurs after the service year for the effective utilization of knowledge taught at the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.

Additionally, HURIWA informed that other foreseeable and solid impacts of an NYSC Trust Fund, which includes unburdening State Governments from financial commitments on the scheme in the magnitude presently obtained will equally serve as another frontal attack on the menace of unemployment in Nigeria and an instrument of curbing the increasing rate of crime in the country by meaningfully engaging youths. “The NYSC Trust fund will also provide funds for expanding NYSC Orientation Camps and the renovation of dilapidated camp facilities.

“And for the fact that it is intended that the beneficiaries will require neither collateral nor godfather to access the ‘seed money’ offered by the trust fund, all Nigerians can attest to the viability of the scheme and how it will help young Nigerians in various fields of entrepreneurial endevours.

“This could explain why when some members of the House of Representatives tinkered with the idea of scrapping the NYSC, Nigerians stood up in unison to resist the move. Earlier in the year, a report released by data bank and research organization (NOIPolls) indicated that over 83% of Nigerians resoundingly rejected the scrapping of the NYSC scheme for whatever reason”, said HURIWA.

Nonetheless, HURIWA observed that while the NYSC, like other initiatives of the FGN has faced it’s fair share of setbacks ranging from poor funding to maladministration, the scheme has tottered over the years just as the group added that the scheme has not closed its doors to innovations and improvements, with successive administrations in Nigeria. “And from all indications, the NYSC’s moments of glory have berthed eventually under the leadership of Brigadier General Ibrahim.

“This assertion also finds expression in the favorable disposition of President Muhammadu Buhari who is passionate about youth engagement and empowerment. Therefore, the President has seen the NYSC as a platform to railroad the transformation of Nigerian young graduates into formidable and productive citizens.

“His appointment of Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim to head the scheme was a conscious attempt at re-engineering and repositioning the scheme for the maximum benefits of Nigerian youths and Nigeria.

“Hence, the idea of the NYSC Trust Fund which started like a whisper is now trumpeted by all stakeholders and leaders. Almost every notable Nigerian has lent a voice in its support. They are at the forefront of reeling out the benefits of the NYSC Trust Fund. HURIWA’s statement was issued after it held a consultative parley at the Weekend with about 56 registered non governmental and civil society groups which collectively endorsed the proposed NYSC YOUTHS TRUST FUND. 

Likewise, while explaining that the Youth Trust Fund to be managed by the National Youth Service Corps would go a long way in raising entrepreneurs who would deploy their entrepreneurial potential for national development, the prominent civil rights advocacy group (HURIWA) noted that the urgent approval by President Buhari for the trust fund geared towards equipping corps members with requisite skills they need for value addition and financial empowerment as they are completing their national services cannot be overemphasized.

More so, when approved, according to HURIWA, the trust fund will also provide resources for the training and empowerment of corps members, especially on skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development.

“It is a strategy to end poverty as the president has envisaged to lift 100 million out of poverty by 2030.  Fortuitously, the Brigadier-General Ibrahim Shuaibu’s led management of the National Youth Service Corps has listed the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED)’s achievement to include the establishment of a full-pledged department that would be saddled with the responsibility of streamlining the skills and entrepreneurial activities of the Corps members. The Rights group promised to provide civil society oversight on the implementation.this of the NYSC’S YOUTH TRUST FUND when it is actualized and hopefully soon. 

“Therefore, HURIWA is canvasing for the urgent approval of the trust fund for its take-off as it has been adjudged helpful in actualising President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of unemployment before the next decade. HURIWA assures that as long as the management of NYSC does not deviate from the time honoured template of adherence to the principles of transparency and accountability,  the Rights group will continue to support it. 

“By and large, the Trust Fund is a testament that the NYSC has diversified its approach from career advisory to entrepreneurship development with the high rate of poverty and unemployment in the nation”, HURIWA concluded.