ASUU Strike: Nationwide NLC solidarity protest to paralyse critical sectors  — Investigation

…Aviation Professionals, Engineers, Pilots, Bankers, others declare support

By Moses Adeniyi & Seun Ibiyemi

Nationwide demonstration by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to protest the prolonged face-off between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)  will have negative effect on critical sectors of the economy according to findings by Nigerian NewsDirect.

Information gathered on the level of support behind the protest set for Tuesday, July 26, 2022, and Wednesday, July 27, 2022, in all the States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) revealed critical labour stakeholders across sectors in the Nigerian economy have begun to throw their weight of support.

Among stakeholders who have declared their support to join the protest include bankers, engineers, pilots, and aviation professionals, among others.

The solidarity support by the stakeholders, Nigerian NewsDirect observed, would crippled activities in critical sectors of the Country’s economy.

…Aviation Professionals, Engineers, Pilots, Bankers, others declare support

On Monday, Pilots and Engineers and other aviation stakeholders under the aegis of the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) declared their resolve to join the protest declared by the National Exective Council of the NLC.

While calling on the Federal Government to urgently in the interest of the nation put an end to the over five months ASUU strike, they declared their readiness to go the way of NLC to stage a nationwide protest.

A statement signed by NAAPE’s Deputy General Secretary, Umoh Ofonime, read, “The refusal of the Federal Government to honour the agreement signed with the union since 2009 is very disturbing considering the negative impact the prolonged strike will create in the life of these children.

“NAAPE, therefore, completely supports the position of the National Executive Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress to embark on a nationwide protest on July 26 and 27, 2022 in solidarity with the trade unions in the Nigeria Public Universities and others.”

Similarly, in a statement on Monday, signed by its General Secretary, Comrade Abdulrasaq Saidu, ANAP,  called on the President Mohammadu Buhari led Federal Government, to end without further delay, the ongoing strike before it gets out of hand.

The union warned that its members will align with the NLC’s position to protest by demonstration the unfortunate situation in the tertiary education sector.

According to ANAP, all its members have been put on alert in solidarity actions on the directive of the NLC at a very short notice.

The group also threatened that they will join the strike in solidarity by closing the aviation sector if the government did not take urgent necessary steps to address ASUU’s demands.

The professionals noted that the lingered stay at home by students of tertiary institutions has added to social vices in the country.

ANAP further noted that the lingering strike has ridiculed the educational system and made it a laughing stock before the world.

The union lamented that ASUU, NASU, SAUTHRIAI, NAAT had been on strike for more than four months due to the apparent failure of government to sign the re-negotiated 2009 Agreement with ASUU, and the habitual failure of government to respect Collective Bargaining Agreements willingly signed with Unions.

ANAP noted that education remained the bedrock of any nation aspiring for greatness, mentioning that ASUU strike will eventually lead to a regrettable situation in future if not well handled.

ANAP warned that the future of education will be bleak as little or no attention was focused on the system as most of the children of politicians were schooling abroad.

“Our children are using eight years to read courses of four years with resources being wasted. We cannot continue this way,” the professionals lamented in the statement.

The National Administrative Council has directed all branch Chairmen and Secretaries to disseminate this information to all members in their various branches to participate in the solidarity protest in their various states starting from Tuesday 26, July 2022 to Wednesday 27, July 2022 at all the States Capitals of the Federation and Abuja the Federal Capital. The take off point is NLC State Secretariats and the Labour House, Abuja.

Recall that the NLC had on Sunday announced plans to commence a two-day nationwide protest slated for  Tuesday, July 26, and Wednesday 27, July 2022, in solidarity with the ongoing strike action by striking university unions.

A circular issued to all the state chairmen of the NLC signed by the National President of the congress, Ayuba Wabba, had partly read, “We bring you fraternal greetings from the national secretariat of the NLC.

“In line with the decisions of the National Executive Council meeting of the NLC held on June 30, 2022, we have scheduled as follows the National Days of Protest to get our children back to school and support our unions in Nigeria’s public universities fighting for quality education.”

According to the circular, the protest would be held on “Tuesday, July 26, 2022, and Wednesday, July 27, 2022, in all the states of the Federation and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

“Take-off point is the NLC State Secretariats and the Labour House, Abuja. You are requested to immediately convene the meetings of your SAC to disseminate this information and to fully mobilise workers in the states for this very important protest for good governance.”

Supporting the  NLC, bankers and other finance professionals under the aegis of the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) had declared resolve of solidarity to join the NLC in protest against the lingering strike.

In a statement signed by Its National President, Mr Anthony Abakpa, and its General Secretary, Mr Mohammed Sheikh, on Sunday, NUBIFIE lamented it was obvious that the lingering strike, since February 14, would continue to take a huge toll on the academic performance of the students.

Noting the psychological trauma it had impaired on both students and poor parents,  NUBIFIE called on President  Buhari to intervene concretely and end the ongoing strikes.

The NUBIFIE statement had read in part, “However, if after the one-day protest by NLC on this issue and nothing is done, the union will have no other option than to call out all our members in banks, insurance and other financial institutions in solidarity with ASUU.”

Recall that ASUU had since February 14 embarked on an indefinite strike over unresolved differences with the government.

The union had accused the government of failing to honour and implement the Memorandum of Understanding and Memorandum of Action signed between both parties in 2020 – an agreement that was reached to end a nine month old strike by ASUU in 2020.

Other issues of contention include the government’s poor commitment to the payment of academic earned allowances and the continued use of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS). Also, is the grievances of the academic stakeholders over the refusal of the government to adopt the Universities Transparency and Accountability Solution, as it’s recommended substitution for  IPPIS, and the proliferation of Universities in the Country.

Grievances by other stakeholders in the nation’s public university system had seen more unions including the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), joining up in the strike.