UCH NASU Election: Delegates are not true representatives—Concerned Members

 Concerned members of the Non Academic Staff Union and Associated Institutions(NASU) in the University College Hospital(UCH), Ibadan, Nigeria  have expressed their lack of confidence in the choice of the delegates mode of election in the re-scheduled elections of the union.

They expressed their dissatisfaction in a chat with Solomon2day.

The election comes up on Wednesday, 12 March, 2025.

''We do not have confidence in the electoral method of election. We are not comfortable with the electoral college method of elections; delegates who were handpicked by non-NASU members, including heads of departments, form the bulk of the departmental representatives. The elections do not reflect the popular wish of members. We ought to have been allowed to choose our leaders by the direct method,they lamented.

In a related development, the branch chairman f the union, Comrade Kehinde Abiona has faulted in disqualification to re-contest he rescheduled branch elections.

''There was a  directive from the national headquarters of the union that I have been disqualified to re-contest. The reason adduced was that a decision to increase the rate of subscription from 1 per cent to 2 per cent.   was taken a the 2019 rules conference of NASU. The union claimed that since I attended the the rules conference in person, I ought to have pushed for its implementation in the UCH, but  I failed to do so. And this resulted in underpayment to the union's national headquarters,'' Comrade Abiona stated.

However, he lamented that the proposal of subscription rate reduction from 1.5 per cent to 1 per cent was rejected in the 2019 rules conference saying,''they heaped  the blame on me that I cased the under subscription. But can such a claim be established? The union's constitution has been in existence since 2011 and we came into office in 2019. Why are they blaming me for the under subscription?''

The Local Scene

Millions of Nigerians have remained without employment for a long while.

Indeed, government officials continue to paste posters of non-existent vacancies in public places across the states of Nigeria under the cover of darkness.

Mediocrity has been upgraded to an embarrassing position, just as crime and criminality have now become the major priority of disappointed Nigerians.

Economically disadvantaged and dehumanized Nigerians now engage in various criminal acts to keep body and soul together.

Economic Hardships-Workers in Nigeria should celebrate life-Labor Leader

 

Workers in Nigeria have every cause to celebrate being alive and faced with the excruciating economic hardships in the country.

The assertion was made by the chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union and Associated Institutions(NASU) University College Hospital(UCH)branch, Ibadan, Nigeria, Comrade Kehinde Abiona.

''My own position is that anyone that is alive today has every cause to celebrate, basically for the gift of life in the present harsh economic climate in the country. Workers in Nigeria have every cause to celebrate being alive. The economy is biting very hard. However, one thing I want to appreciate the Federal Government for, is the prompt payment of the new minimum wage of N70,000. We at UCH have already received the new minimum wage for September.

Comrade Abiona also appealed to the Federal Government to take urgent steps to salvage the very disturbing economic situation in the country, saying ''I appeal to the government to ensure good living conditions for the citizenry.''

 

UCH Re-absorbs Workers not paid for over three years

 

Workers of the University College(UCH) Ibadan Nigeria whose salaries were stopped for over three years have been reintegrated into the hospital's payroll.

Some of the workers who displayed their new appointment letters expressed joy while recounting the difficult times they had passed through because their salaries were stopped.

''We thank God that we have been re-integrated into the payroll of the UCH. We were not paid for over three years and during that period we were unable to meet our obligations to our families and relations. We thank God,'' they stated.

In his reaction, the chairman of the Non Academic Staff Union and Associated Institutions(NNASU), Comrade Kehinde Abiona disclosed that the problem revolved around the non-recognition of their employment by the office of the Head of Service of the Federation.

Comrade Abiona further stated that only financial members of the union were bonafide members.

''The good news is that many of them who have not been paid for upwards of three years have been reabsorbed. And their new appointment letters, which are recognized by the office of the Head of Service of the Federation, have been issued to them.

''My advice to those who are claiming to be members of NASU, is that they should make available their pay slips to ascertain the veracity of their claims. The membership of a trade union should be maintained on a monthly basis, by paying a monthly subscription. If anyone fails to remit his or her dues, then such an individual is no longer a member of the union,'' Comrade Abiona stated.

UCH NASU Hopeful on Suspended Elections-Chairman

 

The Non-Academic Staff Union and Associated Institutions(NASU) University College Hospital(UCH) Ibadan, Nigeria has expressed hopes that the suspended union elections will take place in the first quarter of the year.

The union made this known through its chairman, Comrade Kehinde Abiona.

''We are very hopeful that the the suspended elections of the union will come up within the first quarter of the year'', Comrade Abiona stated.

He also expressed joy at the reopening of the union's office, saying,''to God be the glory, the NASU secretariat was reopened on the 4th January 2024 after a letter of appeal dated 29th 0f December 2023 was written to the management.''

Hoodlums seal off NASU UCH Secretariat

 

Take an interest in your Health and Wellness

Hoodlums on Friday, 20th October 2023 sealed the branch secretariat of the Non-Academic Staff Union and Associated Institutions(NASU) in the University College Hospital(UCH), Ibadan, Nigeria.

According to the chairman of the union, Comrade Kehinde Abiona who made this disclosure, the sealing off was with the consent of the management of the hospital.

''On Friday, 20th October 2023 by about 9.00 am in the morning, miscreants, among whom were a few financial members and non-financial members invaded the office of the union in the name of protesting the non-conduct of the union's elections and made attempts to seal the office off, which I resisted, until the Chief Security Officer of the hospital came around to deceive me that the Chief Medical Director wanted to see me, at that point, I had to go; but on getting back to NASU, I met the office being sealed off and these was going in the presence of camera men from the Public Relations department of the hospital who were busy recording on the instructions of the CSO,'' Comrade Abiona stated.

N35, 000 Wage Award-Workers are only Relieved Psychologically-Member NASU NEC

 The N35, 000 wage award recently announced by the Federal Government  has only relieved workers in Nigeria psychologically and not economically.

This assertion was made by a member of the National Executive Council(NEC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union and Associated Institutions(NASU), who is also the branch chairman of the union at the University College Hospital(UCH), Ibadan, Nigeria, Comrade Kehinde Abiona.

''The announcement has calmed frayed  nerves, but the government is yet to pay as at now. The review of CONHESS/CONMESS effectual from June 1st has not been implemented. The government says it has no funds. However, because of the N35, 000 wage award, workers were relieved psychologically, but economically the difficulties and hardships persist. We are yet to be paid the wage award because it did not reflect in our September salaries, Comrade Abiona stated.

In his view, a former Oyo state chairman of the NASU, Comrade Fatoki Olusola-Cole, insisted that the wage award was far below the expectations of workers, saying,'' the government says we should sacrifice, but the cost of governance is extremely high. The government has pushed Nigerians into the dungeons of poverty.''

''N35, 000 is grossly inadequate to cater for the needs of workers. We are suffering, workers accepted the award, hoping that it will go higher,'' Comrade Olusoal-Cole stressed.

Revive Moribund Health Facilities-NASU to Fed. Ministry of Health

 The Minister of Health has been advised  to ensure the renovation and rehabilitation of obsolete and moribund health facilities in government-owned hospitals  across the country.

This advice was given by a member of the National Executive Council(NEC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union and Associated Institutions(NASU), who doubles as the  branch chairman of the union at the  University College Hospital(UCH), Ibadan, Nigeria, Comrade Kehinde Abiona.

''The Minister of Health needs to look inwards and ensure that the moribund facilities that are the health sector are revived. Since the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration carried out the only major facility upgrade  in 2005, nothing has been done by successive administrations. It is almost about two decades since the major overhaul has been done.''

Comrade Abiona also called on the Minister to ignore  the agitation for the privatization  of government-owned hospitals saying, ''such agitation will not allow him to end up well.''

The NASU chairman maintained that the Minister should  remain  neutral in the affairs of the health sector workers, adding, ''he should not be a Minister of  Medical Doctors, but the Minister of all.''

Comrade Abiona elected into NASU NEC

The chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union and Associated Institutions(NASU) University College Hospital(UCH)branch,Ibadan, Nigeria has been elected to the National Executive Council(NEC) of the union. This disclosure was made on Monday by Kehinde Abiona in a chat. ''The embattled NASU UCH branch chairman has broken the jinx by becoming member of the National Executive Council of NASU. We have over 2,000 members in UCH. Foir the first time ever, a sitting chairman of NASU UCH has been elected a member of NEC. This is the major reason why the hands of all members must be on deck to return the chairman for a second term for the intererst of the branch and for members' interest.''