By Promise Emmanuel
… Protests to Hold on Thursday, We Support No Warring Party- Omepa Shaibu
The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANs, is to team up with the Student Union Government, SUG, Kogi State University, Anyigba, in a joint protest at Ganaja Junction, Lokoja, Kogi State on the 14th of July, 2016.
The protest date which was announced by the Student Union Government’ President, KSU chapter, Comrade Omepa Philip Shaibu was disclosed after a closed door meeting, held on 10th July, 2016, at the institution with NANs President, Comrade Tijani Usman, who came from Owerri, Imo State.
The protest which slated for 14th of July, marks three months of industrial action embarked on by the Academic Staff of University Union, ASUU, Kogi State University chapter to press home demands for their 5 months salary arrears, which the Kogi State Government, under His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello has cleared 4 months out of the 5 months backlog, which according to the government, has met 80% of their demands. The Union, however, insisted on getting their demands in full as issues bothering on the 1 month outstanding salary and tax rebate lingered.
Responding to the PAYEE and Tax rebate, at a briefing, recently held in Lokoja, the State’ capital, The Chairman, ASUU, KSU branch, Dr. Daniel Aina reiterated the togetherness of the union to remain unbreakable until their full demands are met by the state government.
Reacting to the PAYEE and Tax rebate allegation from the government, he said “We are responsible citizens.
Sometimes ago, we were over taxed. Through series of protracted dialogues, consultations and negotiations, the government conceded to the exemption and granted the affected staff, a seven month tax holiday with effect from October 2015 to April 2016 via S/KGS/ADM/307/IV/876” he said. He further explained negligence to the tax issue by saying “Till date, this exemption has not been consummated. The other issue is the rebate which we are asking for. In our negotiation with government, we pointed out that KSU staff pay as high as 400% of what their counterparts pay within the state as well as neighbouring state universities.”
Meanwhile, Comrade Omepa Philip also dissociated himself and the SUG EXCOs from some controversial online reports which captured a cheque which carries the Public Relations Officer’ name, Comrade Ogiri Cosmos, fingering the Students Union body to have “compromised” their position. He hinted that the cheque was a personal affair of the P.R.O and has nothing to do with the strike or SUG’s position.
In his words” Concerning the cheque, I think the P.R.O is in the best position to speak for himself but on the part of SUG as a body there is nothing as such. If u check through the Facebook walls of the 20 executive members of the SUG, it is only the P.R.O who posted something of that nature”, he said. When we contacted the P.R.O, he explained that the cheque was a personal loan secured for entrepreneurship, disclosing that the “govt. House” caption as seen on the cheque is an address of the only Diamond Bank situated in the state Capital, which is close to the Government House. He assured all students that he couldn’t sell-out their interests for peanuts.
Omepa further enjoined all students to join the protest which the rendezvous point would be Ganaja junction by 6am on Thursday, 14th July, 2016, before onward march to the government house. He also disclosed how some visitors in solidarity will be part of the protest, “We agreed that Thursday 14th will be the protest day at Ganaja junction and those SUG Presidents and delegates passing from their various schools to Gombe State will join us in Lokoja for the protest”.
He further called on every member of the student community to join the protest, he said “My message to students is that we should turn up for the protest and fight for our fundamental human right, “The Right to education”. And we are not taking sides. We are not fighting for or against any of the parties. All we want is for the school to be reopened for academic activities”, he said.
On security of students during the protest, he also disclosed that “The SSS and Police have been notified on the event, and we will not leave that place until the Government and ASUU settle there that day or we will continue our protest”.
Reacting to the planned protest also, The SUG Vice President, Edogbo Anthony have also applauded the patriotism, maturity and discipline displayed by the students over the past three months, and advised them to continue to believe in the aluta spirit, that a lot has been done, a lot is being done right now, and that victory is certain.
Edogbo enjoined all students to turn out en-mass for the proposed protest as the collective educational dreams of all students depends on it. Attempts to reach the President, National Association Kogi State Students, NAKOSS, Comrade Abdulmalik Hadi proved abortive as he was unavailable at the time of filing this report.
