ASUU Strike: NLC set for solidarity protest, urges members, CSOs, all Nigerians to join forces

*The Nigeria Labour Congress directs all sectors, including health, electricity and aviation to shut operations and join the two-day solidarity protest with the striking University lecturers Tuesday and Wednesday this week, in Lagos

*ASUU Coordinator in Lagos appeals to Nigerians to join in the solidarity protest in the interest of the youths

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

In readiness for the announced solidarity protest with the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Monday, July 25, 2022, called on its members and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Lagos State to come out en-masse in the morning Tuesday, July 26, 2022.

ConsumerConnect reports the Labour Union has planned to begin the two-day massive protest in solidarity with striking University lecturers in the West African country.

Sen. (Dr.) Chris Ngige, Honourable Minister for Labour and Employment

Mrs. Funmi Sessi, Chairman of NLC, Lagos State Chapter, gave the directive Monday, July 25, at a stakeholders’ meeting at the Union’s secretariat in Yaba, Lagos.

Sessi disclosed that the NLC is much ready to hold the exercise Tuesday and Wednesday, July 27 as part of the nationwide action against the continued strike of the University dons, and the Federal Government’s purported failure to address the lecturers’ demands till date.

Earlier, the Federal Government had urged the NLC to shelve the planned nationwide protest, describing the Labour Union’s solidarity protest as ‘selfish’.

Recall that ASUU has been at loggerheads with the Federal Government since February 14 this year over the the latter’s failure to honour some past agreements, among others.

Subsequently, the lingering disagreement has kept millions of students of most public universities across Nigeria at home for the past five months.

Besides, some other Labour unions in the Nigerian University system are also on strike due to disagreements with the Federal Government for different reasons.

Health, electricity, aviation sector urged to shut operations from Tuesday

In view of the status quo, therefore, the NLC chief Monday directed all sectors of the country’s economy, including health, electricity and aviation to shut operations and join the solidarity protest in support of the striking workers slated for Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

Comrade Ayuba Wabba, President of NLC (2nd left) and other Labour Union top officials

“We will be converging as early as 6:30 a.m. at Ikeja and take off by 7.00 a.m. to deliver a letter to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at Alausa (in Ikeja).

“The protest is to support ASUU in the ongoing strike, so we call on all affiliate members to come out en masse,’’ she said.

Sessi further urged the Lagos State-owned tertiary institutions to join in the solidarity protest.

The Lagos State NLC Chairman stated: “We are going to mobilise our members and be fully on the street.”

According to Sessi, electricity workers would be part of the protest, but advised nurses to attend to only emergency cases in hospitals.

She as well assured Nigerians, that the Labour Union had adopted measures to ensure that the protest is not hijacked.

The Chairman, however, warned law enforcement agencies to not brutalise their members during the protest.

Lecturers are being paid slave salaries −Dr. Adelaja Odukoya, ASUU Zonal Coordinator

Speaking at the meeting, Dr. Adelaja Odukoya, Zonal Coordinator of ASUU in Lagos State, noted the protest is for the liberation of the tertiary education in Nigeria.

The ASUU Coordinator alleged the lecturers are being paid slave salaries, and the government is not concerned about the quality of education in the country.

Dr. Odukoya also stressed though the  Union does not like strikes, it wants to press home demand to make the Nigerian Universities competitive with global standards.

He also stated: “The struggle is in the interest of our children.

“Enough is enough, government must fund the education system.

“If Nigeria must develop, attention must be paid to our university education.”

The strike had lingered for five months and the lecturers would not back down if the government does not meet the demands of ASUU, he said.

Odukoya also appealed to all Nigerians to join in the solidarity protest in the interest of the Nigerian youths.

Other union members took turns lamenting ill-treatment and injustice being meted out to the lecturers and the entire  education sector in the country, report said.

Government’s appeal to NLC to shelve protest

The Federal Government had urged the NLC to shelve the nationwide planned protest in solidarity with the trade unions.

Sen. (Dr.) Chris Ngige, Honourable Minister for Labour and Employment, reportedly made the appeal at a meeting with the leadership of Labour Union last Thursday in Abuja, FCT.

The Minister noted the Federal Government has made several efforts towards resolving the impasse in the University system in the country.

Ngige stated that efforts yet are ongoing.

The former Anambra State Governor as well reminded the NLC leadership that he incorporated them into the ongoing tripartite conciliation of the Ministry  of labour and Employment.

According to him, the workers are very much aware of the efforts of the government at resolving the impasse, so they could not embark on any rally or protest.

He emphasised that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) mandated him to notify them of the serious security implications of the planned protest this week, according to report.

Responding, both the Deputy President of NLC, Mr. Najeem Usman and General Secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboajah, were said to have assured the government of a peaceful protest by the Congress.

They also said that infiltrators would not be allowed to participate in the protest, report added.

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