COEASU joins warning strike

Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has embarked on an indefinite warning strike following calls by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to embark on industrial action over the failure of the Federal Government to implement new minimum wage.

COEASU National President, Nuhu Ogirima, who spoke at a press conference yesterday in Abuja, decried government’s insensitivity to Nigerian workers’ welfare and the pathetic plight of colleges of education.

Ogirima said COEASU joined the strike action because it had become evident that dialogue and diplomacy are alien to government’s lexicon of labour engagement as neither the federal nor state governments was ready to meaningfully solve the myriad of challenges besetting colleges of education.

“While the union strives to stimulate her members towards re-dedicating themselves to the selfless service of humanity, notwithstanding the conditions of the work-place and lingering enervating work-related challenges, it has become evident that dialogue and diplomacy are alien to government’s lexicon of labour engagement, if any, as neither the federal nor state governments is ready to meaningfully solve the myriad of challenges besetting the COEs,” he said.

He noted that while the organised labour had cause to support the anti-corruption fight of the present administration, government has refused to reciprocate the patriotic understanding by choosing to renege on the much-touted minimum wage review.

Ogrima, who further demanded the release of funds for the payment of arrears of peculiar academic allowances owed academic members of staff since the inception of the current administration, as well as release of funds for the implementation of the reviewed report of 2014 Needs Assessment of Public Colleges of Education, implored the Federal Government to make clear government’s position on the reports on autonomy for colleges of education to award degree in the field of education.

Ogrima said for decades, the issues that bedevil colleges of education remained unresolved despite the agitation by the union while those of other tertiary institutions were being given attention as they emanate because the children of elite do not subscribe to COEs.