Lagos State attracts the largest number of corps members across the country. In all, Lagos receives well over 6,000 corps members yearly.
While corps members are likely to be paid more monthly by their employers in Lagos and other cities – in addition to the N33,000 monthly allowance from the Federal Government, they are also more likely to be faced with challenges of accommodation, which is scarce and costly. Some corps members in the city centre may not also be well paid.
As a rule, the NYSC Lagos Directorate demands that employers pay corps members a minimum of N25,000.
Some corps members said they are paid more, while others get less or nothing at all. Most corps members posted to Lagos do not get accommodation from their employers and are forced to rent or stay with relatives.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has urged the Federal Government to bar state governments proposing to establish new universities from accessing Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund) for a minimum of 10 years.
The union added that owners of proposed universities whether Federal or State should provide verifiable growth plan for providing not less than 75 percent of their pensionable staff complement plus provision of requisite infrastructural facilities.
ASUU hinge its demand on the precarious state of state-owned universities in Nigeria.
National President of ASUU Prof Victor Osodeke told reporters in Ilorin, Kwara State capital at the end of the union’s national executive council meeting.
Prof Osodeke expressed his dismay on the declining fortune of state-owned universities and their neglect by state governors “whose responsibility it is to fund, staff, equip and make the universities nationally and globally competitive.
“Unless urgent and necessary steps are taken, our state-owned universities may soon collapse beyond redemption.”
Continuing, Prof Osodeke said “politicians in the Fourth Republic have turned establishment of state universities into projects for appeasing electorate in their senatorial and state constituencies. While neglecting the existing state universities, some overzealous state governors have increased the rally to two or three.
“The more bizarre cases were governors who brazenly pronounced the creation of three or four state universities in one fell swoop. Nigerians should be worried that state universities, which should serve as an elixir to provision of university education, has turned an albatross for the Nigerian university system.
“Beside non-funding of capital projects, most state governors have also failed in the primary responsibility of regular payment of staff in their universities. Our recent analysis has shown that only five of the state-owned universities have their monthly subventions corresponding with their monthly wage bills. 17 state universities receive monthly subventions far below the monthly wage bills, thereby forcing these institutions to augment salaries from so-called internally generated revenue (IGR).”
ASUU chief rejected charging of exorbitant tuition fees in state universities, saying “it places university education beyond the reach of common Nigerians.
“It is corrupt to assume that public universities should generate revenues from charges for provision of hostel accommodation, health services, sport facilities, students identity cards or library access.”
The union conceded that Nigeria needs more universities, but added that the establishment of universities should be predicated on sound logic.
Prof Osodeke used the avenue to remind the Federal Government on the “outstanding issues in the memorandum of action (MOA) of December 23, 2020 and the issues related to the draft renegotiated agreement of May 2021.
“ASUU hopes authorities at both Federal and state government levels would give these matters the urgent attention they deserve to sustain and improve on the current industrial peace on our university campuses.
“By the end of August if the government does not implement the agreement reached with ASUU, Nigerians should hold government responsible for whatever happens at the end of the day.”
Iran and Syria vowed on Sunday to take “mighty steps” to confront U.S. sanctions imposed on the two regional allies, saying their relations will strengthen under Iran’s new leadership.
The announcement was made by Iran’s new Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, who was received at the airport a visit to Damascus by his Syrian counterpart, Faisal Mekdad.
Iran has been one of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s strongest backers, sending thousands of fighters from around the region to help his troops in Syria’s 10-year conflict that has killed half a million and displaced half the country’s pre-war population of 23 million.
With the help of Russia and Iran, Syrian government forces now control much of Syria. But the country has been suffering for years under American and European Union sanctions.
U.S. Treasury sanctions have targeted a network that spans Syria, Iran and Russia, and which is responsible for shipping oil to the Syrian government.
American sanctions were imposed on Tehran after former President Donald Trump pulled America out of a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers in 2018.
The sanctions have caused severe fuel shortages in Syria, which has been relying mostly on Iranian oil shipments that have been subjected to mysterious attacks over the past two years. Syria has blamed Israel for the attacks.
Amir-Abdollahian’s visit to Syria comes a day after he represented Iran in a conference attended by officials from around the Middle East aimed at easing regional tensions.
The three candidates to succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel in Germany’s election meet Sunday evening in a televised debate, with polls showing their parties close together and suggesting that many voters are unimpressed with the choices.
Sunday’s debate on RTL and n-tv private television is the first of three ahead of the parliamentary election on Sept. 26. The contenders are Armin Laschet for Merkel’s center-right Union bloc, Olaf Scholz for the center-left Social Democrats and Annalena Baerbock for the environmentalist Greens.
Laschet is the governor of Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia. Scholz is the vice chancellor and finance minister in Merkel’s outgoing coalition government. Baerbock, who lacks government experience, is making the Greens’ first run for the chancellery.
Recent polls show no party forecast to receive more than a quarter of the vote, a particularly disappointing situation for the Union after Merkel’s 16 years in government. The Union and Social Democrats are neck-and-neck in most surveys, closely followed by the Greens.
The campaign so far has seen missteps by both Laschet and Baerbock, helping give some momentum to Scholz. He has seen his personal ratings rise and his party’s long-moribund support increase.
Germany has had televised candidates between the candidates for chancellor since 2002. In recent campaigns, there was only one debate between Merkel and her Social Democratic challenger of the day. This time, another two follow on Sept. 12 and Sept. 19.
Merkel announced in 2018 that she wouldn’t seek a fifth four-year term. She has largely stayed out of this campaign, saying at a rare rally appearance a week ago that “predecessors who are ending their political work should hold back.”
The Centre for Undergraduate Research Fund, University of Abuja has awarded N1.7 million grants to six students of the institution.
Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, disclosed this during the second undergraduate research day with the theme “Promoting National development through research,” in Abuja.
He said the grant was to assist the students in developing solutions to national problems.
According to him, government, parents and industry must look up to universities to solve problems.
“Our goal is to ensure that whatever we do as research, the industry will pick it up and develop it further for the betterment of the society.
“Research is about finding solutions to national problems. We want their mind to be set up in such a way that every day they think about bringing change to society.
“We want to also raise awareness that universities have so much to contribute to our world.” He added.
The Vice-Chancellor urged universities to emulate the University of Abuja by having centres of undergraduate research.
He admonished the students to use their brains to develop Nigeria, as against using it for internet fraud.
The Biden administration expects the Taliban to continue allowing safe passage for Americans and others to leave Afghanistan after the U.S. military withdrawal is completed next week
According to Jake Sullivan, U.S. President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, The Taliban have both communicated privately and publicly that they will allow for safe passage.
In a CBS TV interview, Sullivan said After August 31st, they would make sure there is safe passage for any American citizen, any legal permanent resident.
Such safe passage would suggest some form of ongoing cooperation between Washington and the Taliban, which now controls a country it ran from 1996 to 2001, before being toppled by the United States in retaliation for providing safe haven to the al Qaeda militants who planned the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
He said more strikes and “other operations” are under consideration to retaliate for Thursday’s attack, which was claimed by ISIS-K, the Afghan affiliate of Islamic State and was the most lethal incident for U.S. service members in Afghanistan in a decade.
U.S. forces are set to wind up their evacuation mission in Kabul before a Tuesday deadline set by Biden after the Taliban took control of much of the country.
That effort has been complicated by the threat of more attacks like Thursday’s blast that killed scores of Afghans and 13 American troops.
Sullivan also said U.S. officials do not believe that “the relevant terrorist groups in Afghanistan” have an advanced ability to plot attacks abroad.
In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, approximately 2,000 people whose homes and fields were destroyed by a volcanic eruption, have created temporary homes made from plastic bags and sticks while they wait to be rehoused.
The families, who lost everything when Mount Nyiragongo erupted, are concerned about the problems they will face in their makeshift accommodation during the rainy season.
Even with the government building temporary houses and NGOs helping those affected by the eruption of Nyiragongo – the humanitarian crisis in the region persists.
The concern with the rainy season is not just about the lack of housing but also about the increase of diseases during that period.
Tens of thousands of people left the city of Goma and the surrounding regions when Mount Nyiragongo erupted on 22 May 2021, spewing lava near the city while destroying houses and killing more than 30 people.
The displaced residents were forced to move again one week later when authorities raised the alarm due to the possibility of another volcanic eruption.
Mount Nyiragongo, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, also erupted in 2002, leaving hundreds dead.
The lava coated the airport runways and also left more than 100,000 homeless in the aftermath.
The volcano also erupted in 1977, killing more than 600 people.
Tigray rebels accused the African Union (AU) on Sunday of “bias” following the appointment by the pan-African organization of a mediator in the conflict that has been tearing northern Ethiopia apart for nearly a year.
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has been appointed as representative of the AU in the Horn of Africa with the mission to “promote peace, security, stability, and political dialogue.
Taking to Twitter, spokesman for the rebels Getachew Reda said it would be naive to think that this mission could work, noting that Resolving a crisis requires at least the recognition of the existence, if not the importance, of a problem.
Reda asked how one can expect a constructive role from an organization that has given full meaning to the word partiality.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, for his part, has repeatedly rejected any proposal to hold talks with the group. Addis Ababa has designated the TPLF a terrorist organization.
In late June, government forces withdrew from the Tigray regional capital of Mekelle after Addis Ababa announced a ceasefire. The rebels rejected the offer and attacked the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions in their bid to march on the capital.
The conflict has been a sensitive issue for the African Union, and Ethiopia’s allies have prevented any discussion of the issue at the UN Security Council.
The conflict which was sparked last November by an attack on a federal army base by TPLF forces has threatened to further destabilize Africa’s second-most populous country.
On Sunday, Abiy met with the leaders of Uganda and Rwanda in Entebbe and Kigali respectively.
Amid complaints over the hostels condition at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), the Vice Chancellor, Prof Charles Igwe, has assured that efforts are being made to improve the condition of existing hostels and build new ones.
The university, with students’ population of over 40,000 and yearly intake of about 10,000 could barely accommodate one third of the students with the existing hostels.
The social media was recently awash with a video clip on the deplorable condition of Nkurumah Hall, one of the oldest hostels in the institution.
Investigations into hostels situation in Nsukka campus showed that there are 17 halls of residence with a total bed space of 7,129. One of the halls, Odili, with 511 bed spaces, is dedicated to postgraduate students, while the remaining 16 halls are for undergraduate students.
Male students occupy two halls, Alvan Ikoku and Eni-Njoku, while female students are quartered in the remaining 14 halls.
Igwe said his administration has made efforts to increase students’ accommodation, stressing that two years ago, “the university management entered an agreement with a property firm to construct hostel blocks with over 12,000 bed spaces under Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) arrangement.”
He said the dilapidated and abandoned Zik’s flat would be reconstructed, following an agreement to concession the place, adding that when completed, it would provide additional 6,000 bed spaces for students’ accommodation.
The VC said he was open to receiving interventions and support from alumni, organisations and individuals for renovation of the hostels and other critical infrastructure in the institution.
The Dean, Student Affairs, Prof Edwin Omeje, said for a university that was founded in 1960, the hostels have seen age.
“They are, however, not as bad as they were portrayed in the social media. Most of them have been renovated and are in good condition.
Renovating the hostels is capital intensive; we are taking it one at a time. But I can assure you that the current university management is doing its best to make them better.”
He explained that male and female undergraduates who live in the hostels pay accommodation fees of N12, 000 and N15, 000 respectively, while their postgraduate counterparts pay N30, 000 per session.
Omeje, however, lamented that the school spends more in running the hostels than it generates. According to him, If 100 per cent of the rooms are paid for, the university generates N98, 240 000, but spends about N457, 503, 575 in running them every session, which include electricity, water, internet services, security, sewage maintenance, repairs and cleaning.
Omeje said any attempt to increase the hostel fees could lead to unrest and damage of existing infrastructure.
Too little is known about melted fuel inside damaged reactors at the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant, even a decade after the disaster, to be able to tell if its decommissioning can be finished by 2051 as planned, a U.N. nuclear agency official said.
“Honestly speaking, I don’t know, and I don’t know if anybody knows,” said Christophe Xerri, head of an International Atomic Energy Agency team reviewing progress in the plant’s cleanup.
He urged Japan to speed up studies of the reactors to achieve a better long-term understanding of the decommissioning process.
A massive earthquake and a tsunami in March 2011 destroyed cooling systems at the Fukushima plant in northeastern Japan, triggering meltdowns in three reactors in the worst nuclear disaster since the 1986 Chernobyl accident.
Japanese government and utility officials say they hope to finish its decommissioning within 30 years, though some experts say that’s overly optimistic, even if a full decommissioning is possible at all.
The biggest challenge is removing and managing highly radioactive fuel debris from the three damaged reactors, said Xerri, the director of IAEA’s Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology.
“We need to gather more information on the fuel debris and more experience on the retrieval of the fuel debris to know if the plan can be completed as expected in the next 30 years,” he told reporters.
The cleanup plan depends on how the melted fuel needs to be handled for long-term storage and management, he said.
The IAEA team’s review, the fifth since the disaster, was mostly conducted online.
Only Xerri and another team member visited the plant before compiling and submitting a report to Japan’s government.
In the report, the team noted progress in a number of areas since its last review in 2018, including the removal of spent fuel from a storage pool at one of the damaged reactors, as well as a decision to start discharging massive amounts of treated but still radioactive water stored at the plant into the ocean in 2023.
Although there now is a better understanding of the melted fuel inside the reactors, details are still lacking and further research should be expedited, the report said.
The team encouraged Japan to allocate sufficient resources to prepare for measures beyond the next decade through the end of the decommissioning.
Research and development of new technologies needed for the cleanup will take one or two decades, Xerri said, urging Japan to apply additional resources as early as possible.
The report advised Japan to prepare full plans not only for the cleanup of the melted reactors but also for the entire decommissioning, and a clearer end-state picture.
“It is important in any projects to have targets and to have objectives and to have a vision,” Xerri said.
Government officials and the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, have not provided a clear picture of how the plant will look when the cleanup ends.
In April, Japan announced it will start releasing into the sea large amounts of treated but still radioactive water that has accumulated at the plant since the accident.
TEPCO on Wednesday announced a plan to release the water offshore via an underground tunnel after further treating it to reduce radioactive materials to allowable levels.
IAEA has agreed to help facilitate the decommissioning and cooperate in the monitoring and implementation of the water disposal.
A first IAEA mission on the water disposal is expected to visit Japan in September.
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