Labour sector challenges before Buhari

Contending labour sector issues may emerge as one of the challenges the present administration will contend with, to enthrone a new worker-friendly enviroment in the country.

The tasks are no doubt arduous and intimidating, but are also not insurmountable.

The issues range from forming a credible alliance with labour on how to resolve the conundrum called ‘fuel subsidy’, how to bring government to honour plethora of agreements reached with unions in the Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and Universities, implementation of minimum wage at the state level among others industrial challenges that are waiting for ‘change’ mantra promised by Mr. President during his campaigns.

Indeed, shortly after he won the March election, the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) fired what should form the fulcrum of the administration in its efforts at revamping the fallen standard in the education sector.

NAAT National President, Sani Suleiman, declared that no nation can achieve technological greatness without standardize teaching equipment and conducive learning environment.

He said: “NAAT takes cognizance of the ‘change’ mantra of the All Progressive Congress (APC), the political party on which you (Buhari) contested the election and would like to inform you that one major area that yearns for positive change is the education sector – particularly the university system.

There is so much decay in the university system calling for attention to reverse the trend for the better. As a result of the importance of technological education for development of any nation, we sincerely urge you to pay attention to the following aspects among others, as you take the governance of Nigeria state from May 29, 2015.

Providing laboratories, workshops and studios with modern state-of-the-art equipment and training and re-training of Technologists to effectively handle modern equipment and keep pace with new technologies in performing their responsibility of practical teaching and demonstration.”

And from the General Secretary of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), Peters Adeyemi, came a warning to the Federal Government on the urgent need to halt the impending industrial crisis in the federal polytechnics and colleges of education.

Adeyemi declared that President Muhammadu Buhari must address the implementation of CONTISS 15 and other issues urgently.

His words: “NASU has evaluated the work of the Inter Ministerial Verification of CONTISS 15 in the federal polytechnics and Colleges of Education and observed with utmost dismay that the Committee whose main task was to verify the financial implications of the submitted to it by the Federal Polytechnics and Colleges of Education for payment of CONTISS 15 migration is in the process of deviating from the task assigned it by excluding some cadres from payment of the arrears and are also attempting to revert the migration cadres.

“We view the exclusion of some cadres from payment of the arrears as well as reverting those that were already migrated as a step that will no doubt create industrial crisis of unimaginable proportion in the Polytechnics sector which should be averted. We call on those who are trying to set booby trap for the new administration to retrace their steps in the interest of industrial peace and harmony in the sector.