Students, affiliate unions join NLC solidarity rally in Katsina, Plateau, Osun, Ebonyi, others

 

.Urges NASS to enact law barring govt officials from educating their children abroad

. Poor turnout recorded in Imo

BY ANDY ASEMOTA, Katsina, Blessing Akorowosi, Osogbo, Victor Duruamaku, Owerri, Daniel Dauda, Jos , By Chris Akhabue and By Clement Nnachi (Abakaliki)

 

 

 

 

Following the inability of Federal Government and ASUU to resolve the issues in dispute and end the strike of ASUU and other unions in Nigerian public universities, the organized labour and students in Plateau, Osun, Ebonyi, Imo, Kogi and other states in the nation  held rally to the various state house of assemblies  in a solidarity protest declared by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).

 

In Katsina State they held two and half hours rally to the state house of assembly in a solidarity protest declared by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).

 

Briefing the Speaker of Katsina State House of Assembly, Hon. Tasiu Maigari, shortly before presenting a letter titled: “Strike in the tertiary sub-sector: Request for intervention,” to him, the NLC state chairman, Dr. Hussaini Hamisu Yanduna, said the organized labour decided to embark on the action to register its dismay over the nonchalant attitude of the government to the ongoing strike in the universities.

 

The Katsina NLC boss stated that the organized labour in Katsina would continue the nationwide solidarity protest tomorrow (Wednesday) by engaging in prayers for God’s intervention in the dispute that had manifested in a strike in the past five months of this year.

 

Receiving the letter, the speaker of the state assembly, Hon. Maigari said: “We can no longer allow the strike to continue, education is a right not a privilege.”

 

The speaker however implored the organized labour to give federal government one month to address the contentious issues tabled by the varsity staff before embarking on series of actions to compel the government to do the needful.

 

In Osun state

Members of the Osun State Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday, trooped to the streets of Osogbo, the state capital to register their displeasure over the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike.

 

The demonstration was directed by the national leadership of the Congress who declared a two-day protest to draw the government’s attention to put an end to the lingering strike.

 

The workers who were joined by students at Ogo-Oluwa area of Osogbo marched to the State House of Assembly and Government House, Abere.

 

They had with them placards with inscriptions– Reopen our universities; End ASUU strike now; Our children deserve better education; FG give our children proper education; Posterity will judge those who are playing games with the future of Nigeria.

 

Speaking with journalists, the Chairman of Osun NLC, Comrade Jacob Adekomi said the federal government is yet to do anything tangible about the closure of public universities hence the protest.

 

Adekomi, represented by the state NLC Vice Chairman, Comrade Gbadebo Awotayo stressed the need for the government to see funding of universities as a priority.

 

He noted that there will be a review after the two-day protest by the National Working Committee of the NLC for the next action if the government fails to attend to their demands.

 

“There should be an act that will stop ministers and others in government from sending their children abroad, then they will be able to take care of Nigerian universities.

 

“Since February 14, 2022, public universities have been shut down, the Nigerian government has not done anything tangible to open the universities. They would have opened it if they are critical stakeholders but because they have their children sponsored abroad for their university education, they forgot that the right to education is common man’s right. They left the universities in dilapidated condition– no laboratory, no library and there is serious brain drain in Nigeria as the professionals are travelling abroad for greater opportunities.

 

“The NLC is saying there must be an end to this strike. We know that by the grace of God there will be lasting solution to this problem,” he stated.

 

Addressing the protesters at the Parliament, Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Timothy Owoeye said the state lawmakers share in their plight.

 

Owoeye assured that the issuance of two-week ultimatum to the Minister of Education to put a definite end to the ongoing will yield good results.

 

In his words, “I want to tell you that we are into it together as your representatives. We are not happy for keeping our children at home for almost 157 days. I have never seen a developing country playing with the education system as that of Nigeria.

 

“It is not possible for us to join you in protest but within us we are with you.

I want to assure you that in a couple of days the strike action will be over.”

 

The Speaker vowed that the state parliament will take the matter up to the national level to ensure the reopening of public universities in Nigeria.

 

.Plateau: NLC Holds Solidarity Rally Match To State Assembly

 

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Plateau State Chapter has observed the two days solidarity protest rally in support of the ongoing strike of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Nigeria.

 

The Protesters who gathered in the early hours of Tuesday under the famous State Secretariat overhead bridge in Jos the State capital led by the NLC Chairman in the State Comrade Eugine Manji amidst heavy presence of security personnel matched to the State House of Assembly to present their letter to the Speaker of the House.

 

The State Chairman while addressing members before proceeding said Government must listened and take the two days protest seriously or risk a total shot down of the country as the next line of action by the Labour Organization in the country.

 

According to him, “We are here today because of the ongoing ASSU strike that left our students laying at home, some are consume by all sort of social vices.  And those in authority are the same people that benefited from a good education system now we can see the neglect rendered to the education system.

 

“On this note, we want to say enough is enough of that! virtually everybody in this country is affected by this strike either as student or as a parent, lecturer or even those working in the University and other Tertiary Institutions environment and no body seem to feel the purse of what is happening in this country.”

 

Manji question thus, “Can you have a generation without succession? the gap or vacancies created who are going to fill them? Whether we like it or not we are going to leave this offices and then who are going yo take over?

 

“The only way to kill a nation is to kill it’s education sector, and that is what is happening and that is why we are saying no to that. We are here just to test run on the one day here on the Plateau as carried out across the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT.

 

“This is an example of what we are going to do on the final day, in the event that they refuse to go back to the round table and finished this, we are going to close down the entire country indefinitely.”

 

The Chairman of ASUU University of Jos Chapter, Comrade Lazarus Maigoro said the lingering strike is for the betterment and survival of the public Universities that children of the common man would have access to education in the country.

 

He insisted that it is the responsibility of Government to fund education and will not in anyway intimidated by various threats made by the Federal Government.

 

“The Government is not ready to address our local issues because their children are not schooling in any Nigerian University that is why. During the Ukrainian/Russian war students were immediately evacuated back to the county is because they are their children.”

 

. In Ebonyi

 

Affiliate Unions of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) comprising Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), and National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), on Tuesday joined their counterparts across the country to protest the continous closure of varsities.

 

The protesters who marched across major streets of abakaliki before converging at the Pa Ngele Orutta Stadium urged the Federal Government to reach an amicable resolution with members of ASUU in order to end the 5-months strike.

 

They carried placards with various inscriptions namely ‘ASUU demands FG respect Workers Right, SSANU Demands for Speedy Conclusion of Re-negotiation among others.

 

Addressing the gathering, the Ebonyi State Chairman of the NLC Comrade Ikechukwu Nwafor, urged the Federal Government to ensure that Nigerian Students get back to school.

 

“We are here on solidarity with ASUU, Federal Government must bring back our children back to school,”

 

“Federal Government must improve   facilities in universities, enough is   enough”

 

The State NLC Chairman emphasized

that the Federal Government has betrayed workers across the country ,

 

Contributing, the Chairman of ASUU Ebonyi State University Chapter,  Professor Ikechukwu Igwenyi, called for speedy resolution of the crisis.

 

In a speech, the Chairman of ASUU ,     Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo Ebonyi State Dr Ogugua  Egwu, called for proper funding of Universities

 

According to him, “ASUU will not succumb to de-humanization, we will fight this battle’

 

The Chairman of Non Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) Ebonyi  University Chapter Mr Michael Origbo, expressed regret at the condition ofworkers in the university.

 

Participants at the protest rally were drawn from Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Ikwo, Ebonyi State University  Abakaliki, State College of Education  members of the National Association

of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) among others.

 

Highlights of the occasion was the submission of the “Protest Letter” to the Secretary to State Government Dr Kenneth Ugballa on behalf of the  Ebonyi State Government .

.NLC Nationwide Protest held in Benin amidst tight security

 

The nationwide protest organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC,  in solidarity with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU strike, held in Benin City, the Edo State capital amidst tight security.

 

Nigeria Labour Congress has on Monday directed workers across the 36 States of the federation to mobilise its members for  the protest, while the mega rally would take place in Abuja on Wednesday, the 27th July, 2022, to pressure the Federal Government to meet ASUU’s demands.

 

The peaceful protest led by the Chairman of the Edo State chapter of the Union, Comrade Odion Olaye, in conjunction with other affiliate Members and their leaders,  took off at  the state NLC secretariat, No. 17 James Watt Road, Benin City  and was  joined by  other affiliate bodies at the Museum Ground for mass movement to the government house in Benin.

 

Comrade Olaye presented the letter from the National Chairman of NLC, Comrade Wabba Ayuba to the Chief of Staff to Edo State government,  Osaigbovo Iyoha, who represented the Governor, Godwin Obaseki.

 

Governor Obaseki speaking through his representative said it was unfortunate, that the Federal Government allowed the strike to linger not minding the fate of the students, the primary victims, adding that it was a shame that some of the demands ASUU is pushing have been in existence since the 90s.

 

The protest was made lively by revolutionary songs of the late ‘Afrobeat King’ Fela Anikulapo Kuti blaring from loud speakers on long trailer trucks while protesters carrying various placards danced to popular tunes.

 

The inscriptions on some of the placards read: “Problems caused by IPPIS are numerous”,  “NLC is in solidarity with all its affiliates”, “FG, sign the deal, use UTAS! Implement!”, “FG, save our Universities from collapse!”, “All Nigerian workers are in solidarity with Nigerian Universities,” amongst many others.

 

The strike continues on Wednesday, 27 July, 2022.

 

 

. Poor turnout recorded in Imo

 

 

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)Nation wide Symparty  protest in Imo State, was lowkeyed

 

Our correspondent who monitored the protest, reported that the impact was not felt  as most public institutions went about their normal business including schools,transport,trade unions and civil servants in the State.

 

Although some of the civil servants joined the State NLC in their protest as well as members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the State in the protest that started from the State Secretariat of the labour union and terminated in front of the government House gate.

 

The State chairman of  NLC,Comrd  Philip Nwansi  registered  their complain to the state  Governor Hope Uzodimma

 

According to him, the state labour  force is protesting  in solidarity with  ASUU members who had been on strike for six Months now

 

 

“Our labour union friendly governor, we want you to assist us,we want our children to go back to school,the federal government should sign the 2009 agreement reached with ASUU so that our children could go back to school,the workers should be paid their salary” He said.

 

On the other hand,the State chairman of ASUU,Federal University of Technology, Owerri(FUTO) chapter, Chinedu Ihejirika said the Union is not at war with the the federal government but only protesting to have the educational system in the country revamped.

 

In his response, governor Uzodimma assured the protesting union that he is in solidarity with them even as he appealed to ASUU to look beyond their own interest and seek and end to the strike to allow the students who he said have been at home for some time.