The indefinite strike by workers in 63 research institutes nationwide is scheduled to begin on Wednesday to protest deliberate frustration of local production of COVID-19 vaccine through inadequate funding of research institutes across the federation is one of the trending stories in Nigerian newspapers on Tuesday.
The Guardian reports that workers in 63 research institutes nationwide are to begin indefinite strike tomorrow.
This came as the bodies in the research institutes – Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI) and the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI) – accused the Federal Government of “deliberately frustrating local production COVID-19 vaccine through inadequate funding of research institutes across the federation.”
Specifically, the unions indicted government of “frittering away money that was mobilised to combat COVID-19 by the organised private sector and business community.”
Operating under the aegis of Joint Research and Allied Institutions Sector Unions (JORAISU), the three unions said they were proceeding on strike over Federal Government’s refusal to honour the agreement they struck10 years ago.
JORAISU Chairman, Peters Adeyemi, who spoke on behalf of the group in Abuja yesterday, said the unions would embark on the industrial action from midnight.
His words: “Without doubt that our continued efforts to promote industrial peace in the research and allied institutions are not being appreciated by government, however, if by the expiration of this additional 15-day ultimatum, government fails to do the needful, the leadership of JORAISU would not be held liable for the strike action that will commence from the midnight of Tuesday, October 12, 2021.”
The group alleged misuse of the COVID-19 fund, part of which was meant to fund research on locally made vaccine.
The newspaper says that Nigerians joined the global community, yesterday, in bringing to the fore issues confronting the girl child, in commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child.
The theme of this year’s Day is ‘Digital generation. Our generation.’
In commemoration, a new analysis released by Save the Children International (Nigeria) revealed that over 22,000 girls die yearly from pregnancy and childbirth resulting from child marriage.
With the highest rate of child marriage in the world, West and Central Africa accounts for nearly half (9,600) of all estimated child marriage-related deaths globally, or 26 deaths a day. The regional teenage maternal mortality rate is four times higher than anywhere else in the world.
According to a statement by Kunle Olawoyin, Media and Communications Manager, Save the Children International (Nigeria), South Asia sees 2,000 child marriage-related deaths every year (or six every day), followed by East Asia and the Pacific with 650 deaths (or two every day), and Latin American and the Caribbean, with 560 yearly deaths (or nearly two a day).
Although nearly 80 million child marriages globally have been prevented in the last 25 years, progress had stalled even before the COVID-19 pandemic, which has only worsened inequalities that drive child marriage. With school closures, health services under strain or closed, and more families being pushed into poverty, women and girls face an increased risk of violence during lengthy lockdowns. A further 10 million girls are now expected to marry by 2030, leaving more girls at risk of dying.
This was as AIDs Healthcare Foundation (AHF) attributed the escalating number of HIV infections and sexual-based violence among young girls to lack of access to education for the girl child.
AHF, Director of Advocacy, Policy and Marketing, Kemi Gbadamosi, who disclosed this in Abuja, said the girl child cannot negotiate her rights unless she is exposed to the right information.
The Punch reports that the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, is expected to forward the 2022 Appropriation Bill to the Committee on Appropriation on Tuesday during the plenary.
A member of the panel disclosed this on condition of anonymity to our correspondent in Abuja on Monday. The senator explained that members of the panel would hold their inaugural meeting as soon as the committee received the fiscal document from the Senate President.
He said, “It is at our inaugural meeting that we would draw up the timetable for the budget defence session where the various heads of federal ministries, departments and agencies would interact with the Senate committees in charge of their oversight.
“The interface would last for about two or three weeks after which the Appropriation committee will start receiving reports from the chairmen of the various senate panels for collation.
“It is after the collation that we will write our report and submit to the Senate at plenary for deliberation and eventual approval.” The senator said the decision to either suspend plenary or not, in order to hasten the process of working on the budget estimates, would be taken by the leadership of the Senate.
ThisDay says that Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has attributed some supply shortage being experienced by its customers in some locations to the spate of vandalism on its electricity equipment and installations, especially during the ENDSARS protest.
The Disco however said it was currently doing major repairs on the damaged equipment including transformers and cables.
The Chief Legal Officer and Supervising Chief, Customer Service Department, EKEDC, Ms Wola Joseph, said the company was partnering with communities and security agencies to curb the high rate of vandalism of its equipment and installations.
She stated this when the company visited Ajumole Junior Secondary School, Isolo, on the occasion of the 2021 Customer Service Week and Eko Disco’s Corporate Social Responsibility Day, where it presented the school with educational materials.
She said, “There has been a lot of vandalism in our network. There has been a spate of vandalism, particularly this year. I mentioned to him (an official of the school) that just this morning, we got notification of a vandal that was electrocuted while trying to steal some of our cables.
“These are the things we experience. The shortage or lack of power supply they may have experienced is as a result of vandalism, which we have experienced since the ENDSARS period.
The Sun reports that in its avowed support for the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly on poverty eradication and improvement of lives and prospects of everyone, everywhere, the Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST) has pledged to continue providing financial services on its counters across the country.
According to its Zonal Manager, Lagos zonal headquarters, Mrs Toyin Egbeyemi, who stated this on Saturday in Ikeja, Lagos, during the commemoration of 2021 World Post Day and Customers’ Forum, “NIPOST, having embraced innovation, has taken advantage of the new technologies, developed new business models, new products and services that meet the needs and expectations of the current market dynamics”.
Mrs Egbeyemi explained that, in the current digital age, the Post has positioned itself as a major player in global e-commerce, which has birthed the ‘one global network approach’, thereby making it an obvious delivery partner for businesses selling online.
She stated: “NIPOST, in its bid to support Sustainable Development Goals by providing rural banking services to the unbanked, is currently providing financial services such as Post Cash and other international fund transfers like Western Union on our counters. Also important is our partnership with the NIRSAL Micro Finance Bank which can be accessed on our various counters.”
GIK/APA