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Tag: Federal government of Nigeria

  • FG Approves 14-working-Day Paternity Leave For Male Civil Servants

    FG Approves 14-working-Day Paternity Leave For Male Civil Servants

    The Federal government has approved 14-working-day paternity leave for civil servants.

    The approval was contained in a circular with reference number :HCSF/SPSO/ODD/NCE/RR/650309/3, dated 25th November, 2022 by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, on Monday.

    The circular titled, ‘Computation of Leave Based on Working Days and Approval of Paternity Leave in the Public Service’, said that this is in line with the provisions of the Public Service Rules, 2021 Edition, that the computation of all leave shall be based on working days.

    “Government has also approved Paternity Leave for serving male officers whose spouse delivers a baby. The period of the leave shall be fourteen working days. The leave shall not be more than once in two years, and a for maximum of four children.

    “Where the family of a male officer adopts a child under four months old, the officer will similarly enjoy Paternity Leave for a period of fourteen working days,” Yemi-Esan said.

    She said that request for such leave shall be accompanied by the Expected Date of Delivery’s (EDD) report of the officer’s wife or evidence of approval of the adoption of the child by the relevant government bodies.

    She also said that the effective date of the circular is 25th November, 2022.

    Recall that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had in September this year approved a 14-day paternity leave for men in the federal civil service, to make men properly bond with their newborn baby or adopted one.

    She said the bonding was important to help the newly-born or adopted baby properly bond with the father in the early period.

    “We’ve also gotten approval to include paternity leave. This is something that is new. And this is something that the unions in the service asked that we include, and luckily, we’ve been able to include it.

    “We’ve also been able to ensure that leave now is calculated based on working days, not on calendar days, that also has been approved. We also have introduced the transition from paper service to a digital service. So these are some of the new things that are in the new PSR that has just been approved by the federal executive council,” she said then.

    Asked to explain more on the paternity leave and those qualified to benefit from it, Yemi-Esan said, “Paternity leave is the leave that is approved for men, when their spouses or wives have given birth to a newborn baby, or if the husband and wife have just adopted a baby of less than four months, then the man is entitled to paternity leave of about 14 days.”

  • Strike: FG Inaugurates 7-man Committee To Renogotiate 2009 Agreement With ASUU

    Strike: FG Inaugurates 7-man Committee To Renogotiate 2009 Agreement With ASUU

    The Federal Government on Monday inaugurated a seven-man committee tasked with the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    The committee is chaired by Pro-Chancellor, Alex Ekweme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Emeritus Professor Nimi Briggs.

    Other members are Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Wukari, Arc. Lawrence Patrick Ngbale, who represents North East; Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, Prof. Funmi Togunu-Bickersteth representing South West and Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Lokoja, Senator Chris Adighije, representing South East.

    Also on the team are Pro-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Prof. Olu Obafemi from North-Central; Pro-Chancellor, Kano State University of Science & Technology, Prof. Zubairu Iliyasu, representing North West; and Pro-Chancellor, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Mathew Seiyefa from South-South.

    It has three months to conclude the renegotiation with ASUU.

    ASUU is currently on a one-month warning strike which commenced on February 14.

    The academics are seeking improved welfare, revitalisation of public universities and academic autonomy among other demands.

    Terms of reference
    The Committee, which is expected to review the draft proposed FGN/ASUU Agreement, has the following Terms of Reference:

    a. Liaise and consult with relevant stakeholders to finalise the position of the Federal Government to the issues in the draft proposed FGN/ASUU Renegotiated Agreement;

    b. Renegotiate in realistic and workable terms the 2009 Agreements with other University-Based Unions;

    c. Negotiate and recommend any other issue the Committee deems relevant to reposition the NUS for global competitiveness; and

    d. Submit proposed draft agreements within three (3) months from the date of inauguration.

    ‘No Money’
    One of the points of negotiation will be the non-payment of university revitalisation funds, which amounts to about N1.1 trillion.

    The agreement was reportedly struck in 2009.

    But the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has maintained that the Federal Government doesn’t have the money to pay such an amount, citing low oil prices during the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

    “In 2016/2017 government said it doesn’t have the money,” Mr Ngige said on Channels Television’s Politics Today last week. “But we will find a way by which we can fund the universities. So, a committee was set up with ASUU as members.”

    According to Mr Ngige, the committee “couldn’t come up with anything that could generate funds.

    “The committee even recommended that stamp duty should be taken. There was a proposal to get money from phone charges. Government made it clear that we don’t have the 1.1 trillion that is remaining.”

    According to Mr Ngige, the Federal Government has dealt with most of ASUU’s demands.

    “A lot of them have been dealt with after our meeting in October last year,” he said.

    “That’s why I said I was shocked they went on strike.

    “The only place where they have a point to hold onto and do their strike is on the issue of renegotiation of 2009 – conditions of service, because their conditions of service was supposed to be reviewed.”

    The Minister noted that the academics have produced an interim report on conditions of service which was rejected by the National Salaries, Incomes & Wages Commission (NSIWC).

    “Because the things they have in there, in terms of allowances, were contrary to existing extant financial regulations,” he said.

    Mr Ngige said he was hopeful the academics will call of their strike soon so that students can return to the classroom.

    Channels TV