Nasarawa State House of Assembly has urged the Joint Union of Tertiary Institutions to suspend its ongoing strike in the interest of the students and for the overall development of the education sector.
The Chairman House Committee on Education, Hon Daniel Ogazi, made the call during a meeting with the officials of the union at the assembly complex in Lafia.
He said that suspending the strike by the lecturers would give room to the committee to discuss with the state government to implement their outstanding promotion arrears.
“We have heard you, your grievances and by the special grace of God, it will come to an end.
“I will plead on behalf of the government of Nasarawa State and the poor masses of Nasarawa State that you should go and continue with your lectures.
“And give us two weeks to negotiate with the government. We will negotiate sincerely with the government on your behalf.
“We will do the work of labour but please go and continue with your lectures,” he said.
“As His Excellency,Gov. A. A Sule is a Governor that has a passion for the education sector, he is a listening Governor, it is on this note that I urge us to always see dialogue as the best option to resolve grievances” Ogazi noted.
“Yesterday, I have met with the Head of Civil Service and there is a positive response in that regard,” he added.
The chairman disclosed that the committee is working hard with the government to ensure that the state government takes over the salaries of staff of tertiary institutions in the state.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Joint Union of Tertiary Institutions in the State, Dr. Ada Benjamin, said they were excluded from the ongoing implementation of promotions and annual increment of workers’ salaries across the state.
He has expressed dismay that the members of the union were excluded from the implementation, hence the need for their decision to embark on the indefinite strike.
“What have we done wrong. What crime have we committed that the government will not implement our promotions?
“That was why we have gone on strike to press home our demands,” he said.
It would be reported that the union members embarked on an indefinite strike on Sept. 10, 2021
The schools are College of Education Akwanga, Isa Mustapha Agwai I Polytechnic, Lafia, and College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia.
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