STRIKE: Wike Disowns NGF’s Agreement With JUSUN

…Gives Scholarship To 55 Students

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said the agreement reached
by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) with the Judiciary Staff
Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) is not binding on the Rivers
government.

The governor said it was unfortunate that the NGF signed an
agreement with the striking members of JUSUN, on behalf of state
governments without consulting Rivers on the contending issues.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Senate Building of the
Rivers State University and the groundbreaking for the construction
of the Faculty of College of Medical Sciences on Saturday, Wike
insisted that the NGF was on its own.

He said: “Rivers State Government has implemented financial
autonomy for the legislature and Judiciary. The judiciary has
collected the first and second quarters of their capital fund. We
still use our money to do infrastructure for them in spite of the
fact that we gave them their capital expenditure.”

The governor, who said the state government had commenced
implementation of no work, no pay, against the striking workers,
reiterated that he would never sign any agreement with the JUSUN
because both judicial and legislative arms of government in the
state were enjoying full autonomy.

“Governors’ Forum is not a Government. It is an association of
Governors to share ideas and not to sign agreements on behalf on
State governments.

“Even when they say something, I will have to come back to the
state and call State Executive Council meeting, and we will take it
as our resolution that this is what we are going to do. So,
whatever they have signed with JUSUN, let me tell you people, it is
not binding on Rivers State government,” he said.

The governor noted that the Rivers State University secured the
support of the state government because of the harmonious
relationship between the university management and the governing
council.

He said that despite the ethnic coloration given to the
appointment of the Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor, they had
justified their positions following their achievements in turning
around the fortunes of the institution.

Wike said the infrastructure of the institution had been
upgraded through the establishment of four additional campuses to
avail Rivers people more access to tertiary education.

He said the remuneration and other conditions of teaching and
non-teaching staff had also been enhanced.

Speaking at the commissioning of the construction faculty
buildings for Basic Clinical Sciences, Clinical Science and
Pathology of the university, Wike gave full scholarship to all the
55 students already admitted into the college of Medical Sciences
of the institution.

He said the scholarship would last the entire period of the
programme.

He also directed the management of the institution to refund all
fees paid already by the students, and forward their details to his
office for computation.

Wike mandated the university to commence construction work on
the building to house the School of Nursing within the premises of
the Faculty of Medical Sciences.

The governor recalled that the previous administration once
received in a month N100bn from the federation account, but
frittered it away on elephant projects like the abandoned Monorail
and non-existing Justice Karibi Whyte hospital.

He said the state allocation under his administration had never
exceeded N13bn per month adding that despite the shortfall, he had
within his second term awarded contracts for 10 flyovers in Port
Harcourt and Obio-Akpor local government areas

Senator George Sekibo, who inaugurated the Senate building,
commended Wike for his giant developmental stride in the state.

He explained that the governor had continued to take the lead in
project implementation and would leave an indelible mark on the
governance of the state.

Nigeria Medical Association President, Prof. Innocent Ujah, who
laid the foundation for the Faculty of Basic Clinical, Clinical
Science and Pathology buildings, observed that under Wike’s
administration the health sector had received unprecedented
attention geared toward the sustainable development goals.

…Gives Scholarship To 55 Students

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said the agreement reached
by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) with the Judiciary Staff
Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) is not binding on the Rivers
government.

The governor said it was unfortunate that the NGF signed an
agreement with the striking members of JUSUN, on behalf of state
governments without consulting Rivers on the contending issues.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Senate Building of the
Rivers State University and the groundbreaking for the construction
of the Faculty of College of Medical Sciences on Saturday, Wike
insisted that the NGF was on its own.

He said: “Rivers State Government has implemented financial
autonomy for the legislature and Judiciary. The judiciary has
collected the first and second quarters of their capital fund. We
still use our money to do infrastructure for them in spite of the
fact that we gave them their capital expenditure.”

The governor, who said the state government had commenced
implementation of no work, no pay, against the striking workers,
reiterated that he would never sign any agreement with the JUSUN
because both judicial and legislative arms of government in the
state were enjoying full autonomy.

“Governors’ Forum is not a Government. It is an association of
Governors to share ideas and not to sign agreements on behalf on
State governments.

“Even when they say something, I will have to come back to the
state and call State Executive Council meeting, and we will take it
as our resolution that this is what we are going to do. So,
whatever they have signed with JUSUN, let me tell you people, it is
not binding on Rivers State government,” he said.

The governor noted that the Rivers State University secured the
support of the state government because of the harmonious
relationship between the university management and the governing
council.

He said that despite the ethnic coloration given to the
appointment of the Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor, they had
justified their positions following their achievements in turning
around the fortunes of the institution.

Wike said the infrastructure of the institution had been
upgraded through the establishment of four additional campuses to
avail Rivers people more access to tertiary education.

He said the remuneration and other conditions of teaching and
non-teaching staff had also been enhanced.

Speaking at the commissioning of the construction faculty
buildings for Basic Clinical Sciences, Clinical Science and
Pathology of the university, Wike gave full scholarship to all the
55 students already admitted into the college of Medical Sciences
of the institution.

He said the scholarship would last the entire period of the
programme.

He also directed the management of the institution to refund all
fees paid already by the students, and forward their details to his
office for computation.

Wike mandated the university to commence construction work on
the building to house the School of Nursing within the premises of
the Faculty of Medical Sciences.

The governor recalled that the previous administration once
received in a month N100bn from the federation account, but
frittered it away on elephant projects like the abandoned Monorail
and non-existing Justice Karibi Whyte hospital.

He said the state allocation under his administration had never
exceeded N13bn per month adding that despite the shortfall, he had
within his second term awarded contracts for 10 flyovers in Port
Harcourt and Obio-Akpor local government areas

Senator George Sekibo, who inaugurated the Senate building,
commended Wike for his giant developmental stride in the state.

He explained that the governor had continued to take the lead in
project implementation and would leave an indelible mark on the
governance of the state.

Nigeria Medical Association President, Prof. Innocent Ujah, who
laid the foundation for the Faculty of Basic Clinical, Clinical
Science and Pathology buildings, observed that under Wike’s
administration the health sector had received unprecedented
attention geared toward the sustainable development goals.