ASUP STRIKE: Nigerian lecturers threaten ‘mass protest’ next week
Striking polytechnic lecturers would embark on a ‘massive protest’ in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, next week, the President of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, Chibuzor Asomugha, has said.
Mr. Asomugha, who spoke on Political Platform, a radio program on Ray Power FM, on Friday morning, expressed his union’s frustration at the federal government’s handling of the six-month-old strike.
The union president said the last meeting between the government and the striking lecturers was held on March 26 in Abuja. He said the government team was led by the Labour Minister, Emeka Nwogu, while the president of the Nigeria Labour President, Abdulwaheed Omar, also attended.
ASUP had earlier rejected the mediation of the Acting Education Minister, Nyesom Wike , accusing him of frustrating the negotiation process.
Mr. Asomugha said ASUP made “further concessions” at the last meeting including agreeing to a two-installment payment of the agreed salaries and allowances; and the setting up of an inter-ministerial committee to review the other contentious issues.
The meeting agreed that the government delegation would brief President Goodluck Jonathan and come up with a “Memorandum of Understanding” that will be signed by both parties “this week”, the apparently frustrated polytechnic lecturer said.
He said ASUP was concerned that since the March 26 meeting, the government had not gotten back to the lecturers.
“It is almost three weeks now,” he said.
Mr. Asomugha said the planned protest would involve market women, students, lecturers and labour unions who are all concerned with how the federal government was treating polytechnic education in Nigeria. He did not state the day of the protest.
He, however, said the union was still seeking an amicable solution to the strike and had written to the Senate President, David Mark, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, to intervene in the strike. He added that the Senate President had replied saying he would intervene after conclusion of work on the 2014 budget. The budget was passed by the Senate on Wednesday and by the House on Thursday.
Striking polytechnic lecturers would embark on a ‘massive protest’ in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, next week, the President of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, Chibuzor Asomugha, has said.
Mr. Asomugha, who spoke on Political Platform, a radio program on Ray Power FM, on Friday morning, expressed his union’s frustration at the federal government’s handling of the six-month-old strike.
The union president said the last meeting between the government and the striking lecturers was held on March 26 in Abuja. He said the government team was led by the Labour Minister, Emeka Nwogu, while the president of the Nigeria Labour President, Abdulwaheed Omar, also attended.
ASUP had earlier rejected the mediation of the Acting Education Minister, Nyesom Wike , accusing him of frustrating the negotiation process.
Mr. Asomugha said ASUP made “further concessions” at the last meeting including agreeing to a two-installment payment of the agreed salaries and allowances; and the setting up of an inter-ministerial committee to review the other contentious issues.
The meeting agreed that the government delegation would brief President Goodluck Jonathan and come up with a “Memorandum of Understanding” that will be signed by both parties “this week”, the apparently frustrated polytechnic lecturer said.
He said ASUP was concerned that since the March 26 meeting, the government had not gotten back to the lecturers.
“It is almost three weeks now,” he said.
Mr. Asomugha said the planned protest would involve market women, students, lecturers and labour unions who are all concerned with how the federal government was treating polytechnic education in Nigeria. He did not state the day of the protest.
He, however, said the union was still seeking an amicable solution to the strike and had written to the Senate President, David Mark, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, to intervene in the strike. He added that the Senate President had replied saying he would intervene after conclusion of work on the 2014 budget. The budget was passed by the Senate on Wednesday and by the House on Thursday.
CAMPUSWAKA
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