Ndume commends Tinubu over cabinet reshuffle, stresses need to clean up more

Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South Senatorial District, has called on President Bola Tinubu to sack more underperforming ministers in his cabinet.

A statement on Saturday in Abuja, Senator Ndume threw his weight behind the recent cabinet reshuffle, while asking President Tinubu to do more clean-up of his cabinet by sending more weak ministers away.

In particular, Ndume praised Tinubu for the introduction of the Ministry of Regional Development to manage regional commissions.

According to him, “We saw President Tinubu’s cabinet reshuffle last week, which was a masterstroke,” adding, however, that some ministers were still “missing in action” and should be replaced.

Ndume commended Tinubu’s efforts to streamline ministries as a cost-saving measure and emphasized the importance of the newly created ministry.

Ndume also commended Tinubu’s de-dollarisation policy, urging further steps to align Nigeria with BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, which will reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar and ease pressure on the naira.

Ndume wants Tinubu to convene a national economic conference involving the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, the National Economic Adviser, and prominent Nigerian economists to develop local solutions for economic challenges.

Nigerian varsity students face fresh challenge as non-staff unions begin strike

Nigerian students in universities are faced with fresh challenge as the non-academic staff unions begin an indefinite nationwide strike starting today, October 28, 2024.

The unions accused government failure to pay four months’ salaries owed to their members since 2022, saying the Joint Action Committee (JAC), which includes the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) declared the strike forthwith.

A statement by the unions expressed frustration over several ultimatums and protests that they had embarked upon that did not yield any positive results from the government.

According to them, all members are to hold joint congresses on their campuses and commence the strike as a unified front.

“We have exercised considerable and prolonged patience, allowing multiple deadlines to pass without receiving a satisfactory response to our demands by the Government.

“In view of this, this is to direct all our members in the universities and inter-university centres throughout the country to hold a joint congress in their respective campuses on Monday, 28th October 2024 and proceed on an indefinite, comprehensive and total strike action as no concession should be given in any guise,” the statement said.

The unions insisted that the strike is because of ongoing issues regarding salary payments and the implementation of a 2009 agreement between the unions and the government, which has remained fulfilled.