Nigeria’s satellite has expired, it’s still working based on ‘Grace’ – DG of National Space Agency

Director-General of The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Dr. Halilu Shaba, has revealed that Nigeria’s satellite which was last licensed in 2011, has expired.

He disclosed this while featuring on a Channels Television program, saying that it was now functioning based on ‘Grace’.

Shaba stated that the satellite which is used for security purposes and brings in money for the country has a 7-year lifespan and a new one ought to have been built.

“The satellite we’re using expired in 2018 and is still giving us necessary data based on ‘Grace’.

It’s a story one cannot tell because so many things are competing for the same resources in the country,” he said.

ASUU picks Osodeke as new President as Ogunyemi’s tenure ends

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Sunday announced the election of Prof Emmanuel Osodeke as the new president of the union.

Osodeke is of the Soil Science Department, Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State.

This pronouncement brings to an end the tenure of Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State.

Osodeke was elected during a three-day conference of the union which held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.

In his remarks after the election, Ogunyemi expressed confidence that his successor would not disappoint ASUU members having been part of the union for years.

The former ASUU president also bemoaned the duplicity of the federal government during any agreement amongst stakeholders in the educational sector.

ASUU members don’t like embarking on strike to press home their demands but the government always forces them to do so due to its (government) attitude towards implementation of agreements signed,” he said.

Other members of the union, who were elected alongside Osodeke, included Chris Piwuna of the University of Jos as vice president; Olusiji Sowande of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State, as treasurer while Ade Adejumo, a professor from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, was elected as financial secretary.

Similarly, a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, Austen Sado, was elected as investment secretary; Adamu Babayo from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, was elected the union’s internal auditor while Stella-Maris Oke from Cross Rivers State University of Science and Technology, was elected as the new welfare secretary.

Ogunyemi will continue to serve in the new executive committee as ex-officio, in order to guide the new leaders.