Another Strike: Union urges FG to meet demands

Mr Smart Olugbeko, the National President of, Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), has threatened that the union would go on strike if the Federal Government reneged on its agreement.

Olugbeko said this in Zaria on Saturday while sensitising the zonal delegates and other members of the union over its proposed nationwide strike.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that on Feb. 16, COEASU, through its National Officers’ Council, flayed federal government aloofness to the Colleges of Education sub-sector.

He said that the visit was to keep congress abreast of the lingering issues between the federal government and the union.

“We are here to sensitise the congress on the efforts we have taken so far, what the government has promised and how far the government has gone to fulfill such promises.

“If government reneges on its promise, there is likelihood that the union will initiate the permissible Trade Union Act that allows us to take further action,’’ he said.

The COEASU leader said that the union had not arrived at a date for the National Executive Council meeting which was slated for March.

“By the time we meet in March, the principal officers of the union will present issues to the meeting.

“But we wouldn’t know between now and then if the government will have done something tangible that might not make the NEC take industrial action.

“As of now, we have not heard from the government and we have already made our position known to them and we expect that before then, we will get a response; if not, NEC will take a final decision on that,’’ he said.

Olugbeko, however, congratulated the congress of Federal College of Education, Zaria, on the appointment of the provost and appointment of the union chairman, as the deputy provost.

“For us in the union, the appointment denotes a synergy between the union and the management of the Federal College of Education Zaria,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, the union would in the next few weeks mobilise its NEC to take necessary actions as permissible by the Trade Union Act, if the government fails to do the needful.