Tuesday 28 January 2014

JAF DEPLORES Police Brutality in LASU & Security Operatives’ Violence on ASUU in AAU!



RE-OPEN LASU; STOP VICTIMISING THE STUDENTS, REVERSAL OF TUITION FEES NOW!!
ADEKUNLE AJASIN UNIVERSITY: RESPECT AGREEMENTS WITH ASUU NOW!!
 Press Statement
  1. The Joint Action Front (JAF) condemns strongly the brutality by the Nigerian Police on the order of the Lagos State University (LASU) Vice Chancellor on LASU students, who protested the closure of the university portal that denied them access to complete their registration in order for them to write examinations.
  2. JAF noted from the widely publicised media report that the protest, which took place in front of the institution’s Senate building, was peaceful, as students displayed placards to express their voices against the closure of the portal. The students were reported to have pleaded, by prostrating before the VC to consider the re-opening of the portal, but rather than accede to their germane demand, the VC went ahead to invite the Police to REPRESS the protest.
  3. It should be noted that JAF has consistently maintained the position that LASU is prone to crises because of the wicked increases in school fees since 2011. LASU students pay school fees ranging from N193,000 to N350,000, in a State where the Government is defaulting in implementing the N18,000 National minimum wage.
  4. The anti-poor hike in LASU tuition fee, which used to be N25,000 had led to several thousand students dropping out of the university and others offered admission not being able to enrol into the university, because it is impossible for the poor parents and residents, who constitute more than 90% of those living below the poverty line, to pay such outrageous fees.
  5. The current crisis, which arose because of the closure of the portal system of registration, further depicted the callousness of the university authority to the poor students and their parents, few of who, had to squeeze themselves dry to raise such abominable fees on the eve of writing their examinations.
  6. The realities that the Nigerian public and Lagosians in particular, should note is that, the Lagos State Government is bent on its anti-poor Education policies, which explains why it refuses to adequately fund public education, in order to make Lagos the exclusive preserve of the few Rich at the expense of the majority poor parents and students that will never be able to pay.
On Brutality of ASUU members at Adekunle Ajasin University
  1. Equally, JAF deplored yesterday’s attack and brutality by the security operatives of the Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba (AAUA) on the order of the Vice Chancellor of the University on the Chairman of ASUU AAUA – Dr. Busuyi Mekus and other ASUU members from the University of Ibadan, Benue State University who were in the university premises for a meeting.
  2. JAF noted that the unprovoked attack by AAUA dictatorial authority earned the brutalised ASUU members serious injuries and landed them in the hospital. It should be recalled that Professor Femi Mimiko has denied non-academic staff in AAUA the exercise of their trade union rights and is at the same time in a war to kill ASUU in AAU. This is a battle he can never win.
JAF Demands the followings:
  1. Immediate reversal of the hiked tuition fees in LASU.
  2. Unconditional re-opening of LASU without any form of victimization.
  3. Immediate Stop to the continued harassment of academic and non-academic staffs in AAUA and urged the students, lecturers and non-academic staff in the university to join forces to RESIST the Professor Femi Mimiko’s authoritarian administration of the university.
  4. An end to police and security operatives’ BRUTALITY of students, lecturers and non-academic staff in both universities.
  5. An environment of Academic Freedom to allow students, lecturers and non-academic staff to freely express their legitimate and statutory rights and responsibilities.

DARE TO STRUGGLE, DARE TO WIN!

DR. DIPO FASHINA           COMRADE ABIODUN AREMU
JAF Chairperson                JAF Secretary



Thursday 23 January 2014

Photo News: JAF 3rd Congress on Jan. 18 and 19, 2014 at Textile Labour House Lagos



Dr. Dipo Fashina, JAF Chair
Dr. Nasir Fagge, ASUU President


Prof Prncewill Alozie  (CEPED - JAF Affiliate)

Day One Audience

Day One Audience

Micheal Avosetiyen, Chair COEASU Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education

Delegates at the Business Session on Day Two

Prof Maurice Fagnon, Communist Party  of Benin Republic

Abiodun Aremu, JAF Secretary

Achike Chude, JAF Deputy Chair

Speakers at the First Session on Day One

Dr. Sule Abdulahi Kano, former ASUU President

Segun Sango, (DSM - JAF Affiliate) 

Kazeem Akinriade (CWA - JAF Affiliate)

Segun Ajayi (SWL - JAF Affiliate)

Speakers at the Second Session on Day One

3-Person Electoral Committee

Some of the newly elected 7-Person JAF Executive

Some of the Outgone 7-Person JAF Executive


Wednesday 22 January 2014

JAF 3rd CONGRESS: HIGHLIGHT OF RESOLUTIONS



Held January 18th and 19th 2014 @ Textile Labour House, Ogba-Lagos

JAF STANDS FOR SOCIALISM!
Elects New Exco at the 3rd Congress!!
INTRODUCTION
1.    The 3rd Joint Action Front (JAF) Congress held as scheduled on January 18th and 19th 2014 in Lagos- Nigeria.
2.    The Congress was attended by JAF Affiliates and members across the country. Also in attendance were JAF’s fraternal guests from Trade Union Congress, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Women Commission, National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers (NUTGTW), Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), College of Education Staff Union (COEASU), representatives of students and youth, The Muslim Congress of Nigeria (TMC), Pan Africanist organisations, Communist Party of Benin Republic (PCB), Labour Writers Association of Nigeria (LAWAN) and the media from the Electronics and Print.
3.    The DAY ONE of the Congress started with an Opening ceremony presided over by the National Chairperson of JAF – Comrade Dr. Oladipo Fashina and Comrade Achike Chude - JAF Deputy Chairperson. They were joined by other fraternal guests such as Comrade Simeso Amachree - Deputy Secretary-General of TUC, ASUU President – Dr. Nasir F. Issa, Dr. Sule Kano – past President of ASUU, Brother Luqman Raheem (TMC), Comrade Affiong Affiong - a Pan-Africanist, Professor Maurice Fagnon (PCB), Comrade Avosetiyen Michael (COEASU AOCOED), Comrade Ismail Bello – Textile Union, Comrade Abikoye Princess (NLC Chairperson Women Commission, Lagos), to give remarks on the main theme of the 3rd JAF Congress – Alternative Political Agenda to Rebuilding Nigeria.
4.    The SYMPOSIUM Session on DAY ONE had Dr. Oladipo Fashina as the Lead Speaker on the two sub-themes - The Global Capitalist Crisis and the Global Revolutionary Waves with Dr. Nasir F. Issa and Professor Alozie as Discussants; and National Confabs, Reform or Revolution?” with Comrades Segun Sango, Kazeem Akinrinde, Baba Aye (represented by Kunle Ajayi Wiseman) and Achike Chude as Discussants.
5.    The DAY TWO was strictly for Business Session comprising only Accredited Affiliates and Observers from JAF Affiliates.
RESOLUTIONS
6.    The Congress Declares for SOCIALISM as JAF’s Political Alternative to rebuilding Nigeria as opposed to the present capitalist system being in force in Nigeria.
7.    The Congress agreed to work with Labour, students, other working class and oppressed groups in the pursuit of its goal of socialist transformation of Nigeria.
8.    The Congress resolved to commence ANTI-PRIVATISATION campaign to rid Nigeria of all neo-liberal capitalist policies.
9.    The Congress decided on the building of JAF structures all over the country and calls on Nigerians within and outside to take up membership (organisations and individuals) of JAF in the pursuit of its programme of actions.
ELECTION OF NEW EXECUTIVES
10.  The Congress re-elected five members from the outgoing Exco and two new members. The elected are:
·         Comrade Dr. Oladipo Fashina    -         National Chairperson
·         Comrade Achike Chude            -         Deputy National Chairperson
·         Comrade Abiodun Aremu                   -         Secretary
·         Comrade Rasheedat Adeshina    -         Assistant Secretary
·         Comrade Ruth Suberu              -         Treasurer
·         Comrade Peluola Adewale                  -         Mobilisation Officer
·         Comrade Bankole Solomon       -         Public Relations Officer
CLOSING
11. The 3rd JAF Congress came to a close with the inauguration of the new exco and the acceptance speech by the National Chairperson – Dr. Fashina stating that the new exco will commit themselves to the tasks set by the Congress and provide leadership based on principles.
Comrade Abiodun Aremu
JAF Secretary