Monday, July 29, 2013

ASUU denies plan to call off strike

ACADEMIC Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has described as speculative reports that the strike embarked upon by the union over the inability of the Federal Government to implement the 2009 agreement it willingly entered into with the union would be called off this Thursday.

National President of ASUU, Dr. Nasir Fagge, told Vanguard that he was surprised to hear that the union was going to call off the strike on Thursday when the issues tabled before government had not been resolved.

Faggae said: “There is nothing like that (suspending the strike). I am also surprised to hear people say that we are going to call off the strike.
He said: “Our members have made it categorically clear what they want. This meeting we had with government on Friday at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, is just exploratory.


“We are trying to look at issues holistically and see how we are going to address them. So assignments were given to various people that attended the meeting and the expectation is that we will meet tomorrow (today), Monday and look at the assignment given and also look at it on Thursday again.

“So, that is why I’m surprised to hear people say that we are going to suspend strike on Thursday. The mandate of our members is very clear. So, we will wait and see what the Monday and Thursday meetings unfold and then we report back to our members.”

On how long it would take ASUU leaders to convene a meeting with its members after the meeting with government on Thursday, the ASUU boss said “we are in constant consultation with our members, we don’t really have problems with that.
“After the meeting, we will decide when to link up with our members depending upon what is placed on table on Thursday.”

Commenting on the speculation that the union might suspend the strike if the government met up to 50 per cent of the agreement, Faggae said the union would prefer to get to the bridge before crossing it.

He commended the positive disposition of the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Education towards the resolution of the crisis.
Fagge added: “For us, the interaction we have had with the Joint Committee clearly indicates that they are concerned like other Nigerians”.

“This is expected of the representatives of people. You see the problem has always been that the executive arm of government does not really hearken to advise that are given on how best to address the problems on education in this country.

“We are convinced as a union that the only thing the government can really do for Nigerians is to avail them of education.
“Once you are able to do that, you will see that people will be able to generate jobs and they will be able to take care of themselves and contribute to nation building. So that is the argument we are placing on the table.”

UK visa: Nigerians, Kenyans, others begin payment of £3,000 bond Nov despite anger

Britain is pressing ahead with its trial of a scheme to make visitors from six countries pay a cash bond before entering the country.
Despite outcry against its £3,000 tourists visa bond, Britain will commence the scheme in the six listed Commonwealth countries in November, Financial Times report quoted the Home Office as saying.

The Commonwealth countries to be affected by the policy which was announced in June are Nigeria, India, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The affected countries are considered to be source of “high risk” tourists to the UK.
Some visitors from the six countries, under the scheme, will be asked to pay a £3,000 cash bond in return for visitor visas that allow them to stay in the UK for up to six months.


According to official data, these six countries accounted for more than half a million visa applications in 2012.
There have been outpours of anger by governments of the affected countries, especially Nigeria and India against the policy.
A protest in India last month forced the British Prime Minister David Cameron to declare that final decision had not been taken on the policy, while the Nigerian government asked Britain to renounce the scheme.

The Federal Government, through the Foreign Affairs minister, Olugbenga Ashiru, had in June expressed “the strong displeasure of the government and people of Nigeria” over the “discriminatory” policy.
Ashiru warned British High Commissioner Andrew Pocock at a meeting in the minister’s office in Abuja, barely 24 hours after the policy was announced, that the move would “definitely negate” the two country’s commitment to double trade by 2014.

The minister told the British diplomat that Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, had “a responsibility to take appropriate measures to protect the interest of Nigerians who may be affected by the proposed policy, if finally introduced.”
The British High Commission in Nigeria after the meeting issued a statement quoting Pocock as saying that his government planned to undertake “a very small scale trial of the use of financial bonds as a way of tackling abuse in the immigration system (which occurs when some people overstay their visa terms).”

He said that the details of the pilot scheme were still being worked out and if it goes ahead in Nigeria, it would affect only a very small number of the “highest risk” visitors.
“The vast majority would not be required to pay a bond. Those paying bonds would receive the bond back, if they abided by the terms of their visa,” he said.
More than 180, 000 Nigerians apply to visit Britain each year and about 70 percent or around 125, 000 of these applicants are successful, he said.

A Home Office official said the six countries highlighted were those with “the most significant risk of abuse”
The Home Office said on Friday that only individuals deemed “high-risk” would be asked to pay the bond. But some officials admits that the mere mention of a bond would be enough to deter visitors.
“In the long run, we are interested in a system of bonds that deters overstaying and recovers costs if a foreign national has used our public services,” an unnamed Home Office official said.
Ashiru said on Sunday that the UK embassy had not communicated to his office the plan to commence the bond scheme.

In the UK, luxury goods retailers have denounced the plan as an “insulting deterrent” to wealthy tourists, which will hit sales and damage London’s reputation.
They are urging the government to drop the pilot, saying the restrictions will damage their business if Commonwealth tourists – particularly Nigerians, now the sixth biggest spenders on luxury goods in the UK – are put off.

“It’s embarrassing that our country would consider these measures against visitors who spend so much in our stores,” Managing Director of Harrods, Michael Ward, said .
“There seems to be a deeply frustrating attitude in Westminster that they should do whatever they can to actively prevent people coming to the UK,” Ward added.
Harrods is reputed to be the biggest department store in Europe, occupying a five-acre site in the royal precinct in London.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Born without skull: US doctors create fresh head for Nigerian child


With  much expectation, the world is waiting to see  OkikiJesu Olawuyi grab a fitting place in the Guinness Book of World Records. Many across the world want to see this happen. And what that means is that a Nigerian child is well on her way to making history once she scales the mountain of surgeries standing in her path of life.

OkikiJesu  Olawuyi was born without a skull but not without a will to live. Bones from her hands are being obtained to construct a skull bone to help her live. Amazingly, she is winning this battle for  her life  at John Hopkins University in far away United States of America. There, the best hands the world can assemble are with her every passing hour fighting a medical war to give life to a miracle child  who has announced to  the entire human community that she has something different to offer.

First grade surgeons – irrespective of colour, race and tongue are tasking  their expertise to see that this wonder of the 21st century lives to tell her story and  reports say that they are doing a great job to save her.

OkikiJesu is getting moral and material support  from across the world to help her live. An avalanche of support is coming her way. Her parents are carrying the burden of pain and anguish with stoic patience. They are fighting to remedy a medical case they cannot tell how it all started.    The child needs a lot more financial assistance to pull through, her father, Mr. Caleb Olawuyi, says.  He disclosed that she needed an additional $500,000 to undergo the final operation that would enable her live  a normal life. Experts say that is possible and they can achieve that.

While appealing for generous support from government, corporate organizations and private individuals to help the baby live, Mr. Olawuyi, has equally urged government to set up funds to assist babies afflicted with critical ailments. Speaking straight from the heart, he noted that one needed to be close to a child in pains to know how it feels.

Since news of the child’s medical condition was disclosed, the world has been aghast. She was born on May 11, 2010 with a rare birth deformity which means  over 50 per cent of her skull doesn’t exist. The world has not seen anything of this stuff. In recorded history, Sunday Sun gathered that this medical condition has never been reported anywhere. The child’s condition is one that appears to have turned medicine on its head, having thrown up tremendous professional challenge to the human race.

Now, the very best the world has known are  fighting a crunchy battle to overcome this, leaving many – particularly those with  hearts of stone- wondering if there is nothing they can offer to help.
Now from the home sector, help is coming for  three-year-old Okiki and her parents. Since the condition of the baby became public knowledge, a non profit  organization had stepped in to assist. Global Initiative for Peace, Love and Care (GIPLC) has been doing all it can  to give life to the child whose medical condition is not traceable to  her parents. With the assistance of the organization’s Coordinator and Project Manager, Mr. Nuhu Kwajafa, the child  and her parents were on May 4, 2013, flown  to the United States. There, she is currently undergoing skull reconstruction surgery at the John Hopkins University Medical Centre.

Now, the child’s and her father’s cry for help comes ringing through the airways asking Nigerians to help her live. Here is a child  the world is interested in. The non-profit organization is doing its  best  at that level to help her survive. Sunday Sun gathered that while the world was  a short while  away from screaming uhuru at the wonderful breakthrough, an unforeseen complication arose after over 14 hours of  surgery. This followed inconsistencies in her medical history. Besides, her case marked a maiden attempt in paediatric neurosurgery. This, therefore, led to a further accumulation of medical bills totaling over US$500,000. This bill is  spiraling every passing day OkikiJesu  and her parents spend at the Johns Hopkins facility.

Specialists in the USA have identified the rare birth deformity which OkikiJesu is suffering, as Congenital Cranial Deficiency. Before now, she had been to several hospitals but not cured, but luck flashed on her pathway when GIPLC, which is based in Abuja took up her case. Sunday Sun learnt that since then, the organization has recorded significant success in efforts to get medical care for her. Within just a week, it raised about $234,000, an equivalent of N37 million through kind gestures from individuals and groups for her treatment at  John Hopkins Hospital.

Kwajafa , just back from the United States, told Sunday Sun that “prior to the complications which arose, what made a determination of the full cost of Okiki’s surgery difficult is that in modern times, it is an extremely rare (perhaps singular) medical condition with no precedence to draw estimates  from.

“This latter fact also means that it is equally difficult to tell what other medical complications may arise. An example  are  fluids that were retained in her cranial cavity which have posed an unforeseen challenge and may have led to a fatal infection.”

Kwajafa’s worry is that, “OkikiJesu  may not be released from hospital until all outstanding bills have been paid. We and her parents are desirous of  her condition being fully remedied before she leaves the hospital.” Against this backdrop, he said  “We would like to appeal to the global public to support our cause in ensuring that OkikiJesu  Olawuyi lives.”

Medical analysts believe  she  will be a living testimony if she recovers. According to GIPLC, her case remains the only one of its kind in the world.
When OkikiJesu’s father, Mr. Olawuyi spoke to Sunday Sun on telephone from  John Hopkins Hospital, he expressed optimism that the girl was doing well and had remained in stable condition. He said “We thank God that she is responding positively to every operation performed  on her.

The doctors attending to her are also pleased with her present condition. They  said she is a miracle child,because she is so far the only child in the world with this kind of health condition.
“They told us that there is no case of her type in medical history at their disposal the world over. There are three renowned  doctors attending to OkikiJesu and the experience is so great.
“They keep assuring us that everything will be fine soon. We are also hoping positively and asking God to deliver our child.”

In a voice laden with emotion, he appealed to Nigerians to assist the child  to live through their generous donations, pointing out that with money available, the baby was sure to survive.
“But our greatest challenge here is the cost of her treatment  in the hospital. It’s indeed a very tough experience for us as parents.

The medical bill keeps increasing daily and has since been piling up. The treatment has over-shot the initial bill that was given to us before we came, because her condition exceeded their estimation.
The major issue is the hospital bill and not really our up-keep, that is, myself, my wife and our 15-month old baby, (Okiki’s younger sister). She is currently at the intensive care unit (ICU). This costs between $6,000 and  $10,000 daily. Sometimes, two nurses are stationed to take care of her daily and it costs a lot of money.

“The good thing is that they are not taking any chance. They are all over her all the time. They are monitoring her regularly especially as she is an international patient. The bill is growing higher,” he lamented.

Okiki’s father further stated that for “every parent of a child with this critical health challenge, one only manages to sleep and to wake up hoping that the next day would be different. We have gone through this trauma all this while. Though, we have faith in God but every passing day, we are afraid for her life. Here in the hospital, as critical as her condition is , we are living and sharing her pains more so that the bills pile up  every moment.

“ We appeal to Nigerians not to give up on Okiki. With their support, God will not disappoint us because she keeps improving daily. All the operations have been very critical. They took bones from her hand and leg to construct her skull. And she is doing fine.

“We appreciate efforts by all Nigerians including  individuals, groups and corporate organizations. Everybody has been very supportive. We thank the Nigerian government, the National Assembly, and particularly the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Aminu Tambuwal and other kind-hearted people and members of our family for their support.

“On behalf of our daughter Okiki, and other children and parents in this condition, we urge government to institute a Special Trust Fund to take care of such rare and critical cases in the country. This fund should be adequately funded to cater for such critical needs.

“For us, Okiki’s parents, we are in this condition but hope that one day God will deliver us.
“In this situation, we repeat our appeal for quick intervention from the government and other Nigerians. Our wish here is that others should be spared this experience. We plead further with government to establish a fund to cater for such children in this condition.”

•Your donations go directly to Okiki’s account with John Hopkins Medical International.
For more info call GIPLC  on  08089693240, 08163183797, 08085101664

The Sun

Friday, July 26, 2013

Liverpool enter Soldado race

Premier League - Paper Round: Liverpool enter Soldado race

Liverpool are set to gazump Tottenham over Roberto Soldado; Real Madrid have pulled out of the
running for Luis Suarez; and Wayne Rooney already has a shirt number at Chelsea - here are the main transfer stories from today's newspapers.

Liverpool eye Soldado  :  Liverpool are set to snatch Roberto Soldado from under the noses of Tottenham as the Anfield club look to find a replacement for Luis Suarez, reports the Daily Mirror. The paper claims the Reds are now in a straight fight with Spurs for the Valencia striker, with the "dithering" London club failing to meet his £26 million asking price.
Paper Round's view: The need for Liverpool to think about the post-Suarez era is now imperative, with the Mirror and other papers claiming the Uruguayan wants his future resolved in the next 48 hours. Cash-strapped Valencia could be the big winners if a bidding war between the English clubs breaks out - and they could yet get what they want for Soldado.
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Real Madrid pull out of Suarez race: Arsenal are now in pole position to sign Suarez after Real Madrid pulled out of the running to secure his services, The Sun claims. New Real boss Carlo Ancelotti believes he has enough strike power, despite selling Gonzalo Higuain to Napoli, Madrid sources say. That paves the way for Suarez and his agent to "sort out his contract wrangle with Liverpool" and clinch a £40m-plus move to the Emirates. Meanwhile, the Independent says that the Premier League may step in to help settle the contract issues - something that the Suarez camp would welcome.
Paper Round's view: With things getting more acrimonious by the day, it seems certain Suarez will not be a Liverpool player for much longer. And if the news about Madrid's withdrawal from the race is true, the line that Liverpool are stalling and waiting for another club to come in and spark a bidding war becomes redundant. Arsenal are clearly frontrunners, yet with disagreement persisting over the player's release clause, perhaps the only way for him to finally make his exit is through intervention from the League.
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Rooney to wear number 23: Wayne Rooney already has a Chelsea shirt number allocated, according to the Daily Star. The paper claims that the wantaway Manchester United star will sport the "iconic No.23 shirt", made famous by US basketball star Michael Jordan, if he joins the Blues. Meanwhile the Daily Mirror reports that Chelsea are "privately confident" they will land Rooney before deadline day and, like many other papers, carries Jose Mourinho's quotes about remaining "calm" about his pursuit of the England international.
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United will not sell Rooney even if they acquire another player: The Guardian claims that, despite popular consensus, United will not sell Rooney - even if they land Cesc Fabregas or another forward this summer. The paper says "there has been a sense on the pre-season tour that, if a like-for-like replacement was bought, this could shift United's stance" but it adds that the club will not change their stance and Rooney remains not for sale.
Paper Round's view: United are making themselves pretty clear on this one, but it could all change with a big offer from Chelsea or a big arrival at Old Trafford, perhaps in the shape of Cristiano Ronaldo or Gareth Bale.
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United's Fabregas hopes boosted: United's hopes of landing Cesc Fabregas have "dramatically improved", according to The Sun. The Barcelona midfielder is reportedly becoming worried as he is still waiting for assurances about his future at the Camp Nou. The paper says the former Arsenal man has told friends he would welcome a move to Old Trafford if his prospects do not improve under new Barca boss Gerardo Martino. The Daily Mail runs the same story, adding that Fabregas is keen on linking up once again with former Arsenal team-mate Robin van Persie.
Paper Round's view: We've heard from 'friends' of the player before, and this latest report changes little. United have still had two offers rejected and their pursuit of the player is "ongoing", as David Moyes has said.