COEASU RESUMES INDEFINITE STRIKE

By Sani Dutsinma

Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union ,COEASU has resumed its suspended strike for four weeks following continuing neglect of the sub-sector by the government.

The North West Coordinator of the Union Comrade Shehu Jabaka Muhammad made this known in Gusau while briefing newsmen on the outcome of their National Executives Council meeting, NEC.

Dr Shehu Jabaka said the union decide the way forward upon the lapses of 21-day ultimatum issued by the Union on the lingering issues of industrial concern.

In a letter addressed to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, COEASU applauded the minister for his efforts at trying to resolve the union’s demands but said their members can not tolerate such delay anymore.

The letter which was dated June 10th, 2022 and jointly signed by the President Dr Smart Olugbeko and General Secretary Dr Ahmed Lawan Bazza, indicate the notice of resumption of the industrial action suspended by the Union on the 5th of December 2018.

According to him, the Union invoked the inevitable option of strike action by their members Nation-wide to give government’s lack of respect for a non-confrontational civil approach to industrial dispute resolution, for which the Union is renowned.

The North West Coordinator also ennumirates some problems that becomes stumbling block toward the progress of the Union which to include failure of the Federal Government to constitute its Team and commence renegotiation of the FGN-COEASU 2010 Agreement despite all entreaties of the Union.

Others are non-release of N15 billion approved out of the N456,599,691, and N18 Billion Revitalization Fund for both Federal and State Colleges of Education contrary to repeated promises of the FG.

“Non-implementation of 2014 Needs assessment report, Non-payment of outstanding promotion arrears from 2016 to date, Non-payment of responsibility allowance to Librarian in Colleges of Education.

Non-implementation of the consequential effect of the implementation of CONTISS 15 on Lower Cadre (a.k.a. Migration)

Poor Funding of Colleges of Education and poor conditions across State Colleges of Education especially in Ogun, Kwara, Abia, Kogi, Kaduna, Zamfara, Yobe, Oyo, Benue, Edo and Ebonyi States, among others.

The North West Coordinator added that, the union resolve to embark on the industrial action with effect from Friday, 10th June 2022, therefore the suspended strike action in December 2018 be resumed immediately for four weeks in the first instance.