The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday took the ongoing solidarity protest to the National Assembly Abuja over the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU and vowed a total shutdown of the economy if nothing was done immediately by the Federal government for students to return to Schools
The protesters who were led to the NASS Complex by the National President of ASUU, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, the National President of the Nigeria Youth Council; the National President of the Senior Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (SSANU); the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), expressed anger that the Minister of Labour, Productivity and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige was responsible for the prolonged strike by ASUU.
The protesters were holding a big banner with an inscription, “Dr Chris Ngige is an “Okija Priest that should be banished. They demanded that he should be sacked from office to pave way for a meaningful negotiation.
The leadership of the NLC stated that Ngige was part of the conundrum rocking the Nigerian universities that resulted in the prolonged strike.
Speaking during a protest, the protesters in a banner with the inscription, “Dr Chris Ngige is an “Okija Shrine Priest and should be banished”, insisted that he doesn’t deserve to occupy a political office, but should be consigned to Okija, a town in Anambra State to take of his shrine”
Addressing the protesters, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba, declared that there would be no going back on its proposed national strike if the government failed to resolve the ongoing strike action in Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions in the country.
He disclosed that the national strike action would be preceded by a three-day national protest
He pointed out that about N1.6 trillion naira spent by the elites to send their children to school outside the country was enough to revamp the nation’s educational sector in the country.
He said Nigerian university lecturers were the poorest paid in the entire Africa, which had led to a massive exodus of the best brains of the country to other countries
The SSANU on their part insisted that the Federal government must address the following demands: “Replace the inconsistent IPPIS with U3PA payment platform for all Universities; respect and honour collective bargaining agreement that was freely and mutually reached with the union.
They added that the Federal government should fast-track the regeneration of the 2009 agreement with SSANU and improve funding for both Federal and State Universities.
Also speaking, the National President of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP), Comrade Anderson Ezeibe, regretted that after a NEEDS assessment in 2014 by the Federal Government, it was recommended that N800 billion would be required for the revitalization of the polytechnics in the county, saying that since then, nothing has been done.
He urged the National Assembly to rise to the occasion and ensure those saddled with the responsibility of managing education in the country lived up to expectations.
The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Comrade Sunday Asefon, who regretted that despite several promises to resolve the issues at stake, none had been kept. urged that universities be opened immediately.
However, while addressing the protesters, the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, who was represented by Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Robert Borrofice, assured that the National Assembly would work hard to ensure the issue was resolved without further delay.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, who was represented by, Hon Mohammed Wudil, promised to ensure all relevant stakeholders would be brought together as soon as possible to address the problem
The NLC President, Comrade Wabba handed over letters of complaint to the representatives of the Senate President and the Speaker respectfully.
The protesters walked about two kilometres from the Federal Secretariat gate through the Annex gate to the Parliament car park where they were met by the National Assembly leadership.
Ahead of the arrival of the protesters, heavy security personnel have taken over the vicinity of the National Assembly Complex.
