After about five months of federal government’s inability to resolve the dispute between it and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to mobilize workers for a nationwide strike.
Persecondnews recalls that the ASUU leadership had on February, 4, 2022 declared a nationwide strike in the nation’s ivory towers to pressure the government over the agreement reached with the union in 2009 and 2020 which includes adequate funding of the education sector.
Miffed by the closure of public universities and alleged failure of government to meet ASUU demands, the NLC President, Comrade Ayaba Wabba said the union has commenced mobilisation of workers for a one-day warning strike in solidarity with aggrieved lecturers.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the National Executive Council Meeting of the NLC holding in Abuja, Comrade Wabba said:”This is not good for our nation and for our children in public schools.
“I am not unaware that many of the ruling elite have their children abroad and perhaps, this is why they are not paying attention to the demands of ASUU.
“Our students have been at home for four months running and frustration had set in resulting in escalating crimes in the country. We cannot continue to keep silent as if nothing is happening.
“This should serve as notice to the government that after the warning strike a full scale strike will commence if the issues are not attended to,” he said.
On the sack of 2,267 teachers by Kaduna State Government, the labour leader expressed grave concern that the affected teachers were employed by Governor E-Rufai-led government four years ago.
He recalled that the teachers were employed as casual workers until they were eventually sacked.
“We are ready to confront and challenge this impunity in government.”
The NLC leader also concern over the alleged ghost workers the federal government claimed to have discovered and the money recovered from the exercise.
Wabba challenged the government to expose those behind it and prosecute the perpetrators.
He equally observed that the last time there was salary review in the country was in 2009, noting that in the past 14 years, no salary review, apart from the minimum wage in public service.
“The last time there was salary review in the country was in 2009 with the increasing inflation, the minimum wage cannot take us for one week.”
On insecurity, he said the situation has deteriorated in the last four years and drew government’s attention to those kidnapped in the Abuja-Kaduna train that are still in captivity.
He urged the government to deploy information technology to assist the military in tackling insecurity, saying that no nation can develop with insecurity.
“The sooner the government deals with the situation the better for the economy.*
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