The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to immediately set up a high-powered panel comprising members with requisite mandates to resolve within 21 days the issues affecting industrial harmony in the nation’s tertiary institutions including Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT). The union also said it would be convening a special meeting of the Central Working Committee of all affiliate unions of the NLC to decide on the next line of action. The NLC made the announcement in a statement by its President, Comrade Ayuba Wadda and General Secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, following a meeting with its affiliate unions in the education sector.
The statement reads in part: “Our concerns are; the intermittent and protracted strikes and other industrial actions in Nigeria’s public tertiary education system;
Non-Implementation of Collective Bargaining Agreements signed with unions in Nigeria’s tertiary education system which touch on university funding, earned allowances, and other welfare issues facing universities staff; and
The fate of more than 95% of Nigerian students constituted largely by children of the poor who cannot afford to pay the average of One Million Naira school fees charged by private tertiary institutions and who are currently idling away at home while the children of the rich continue with their education.”
“The Congress call on the Federal Government to immediately set up a High-Powered Panel constituted of members with requisite mandates to resolve within 21 days the foregoing issues militating against industrial harmony in Nigeria’s university system.
“And pursuant to the foregoing resolution, the Nigeria Labour Congress would be convening a Special Meeting of the Central Working Committee (CWC) of all the Affiliate Unions of the Congress to decide on the next line of action.”