The Non-Teaching Staff of Nigerian Universities says that the Federal Government is yet to fulfill its part of the agreement it entered with the unions.
Mr Samson Ugwoke, the National Chairman, Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Teaching Staff of Nigerian Universities said this in an interview with the News men on Wednesday in Abuja.
The JAC includes the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).
NAN recalls that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige had on Tuesday in a statement said that Federal the Government had met the 12-point demand of the unions.
The minister also noted that that there was no reason for the unions to commence a fresh strike.
The non-teaching staff of the universities under the auspices of JAC had previously embarked on an indefinite strike on Sept. 11, over non-implementation of its 12- point demand.
The unions are presently on another indefinite strike, which commenced on Dec. 5.
The unions are demanding the payment of earned allowances to its members, a review of the governance system in universities, and improved funding in line with UNESCO recommendations.
The demands also includes the povision of infrastructure in universities and payment of salary shortfall being owed members, implementation of the National Industrial Court judgment on University staff schools, registration of NUPEMCO.
Others are implementation of CONTISS 14 and 15, for Technologists, im
provement of teaching and learning facilities in the universities, and stemming the tide of corruption in the university system.
The unions also called on the Federal Government to show more commitment and seriousness in the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/University unions’ agreement, among others.
Ugwoke said that the strike became necessary as the Federal Government was yet to meet the demands of the unions.
According to him, how can the Federal Government claim that it has settled everything?
“Where is the core circular that they promised to release within one month? That said they will recall all our sacked teachers in University Staff Schools in accordance with the judgment of Sept. 5, 2016.
“It is exactly one-year yesterday that the judgment of the National Industrial Court (NIC) was delivered and up till now, government has not implemented the judgment.
“Where is the circular which government promised to release to counter the one released in 2014 that led to their removal from office? Has those staff been re- instated and got into the payroll of those universities that sack them?
“Have they been paid two to three years’ salary arrears since they have been out of work following that circular, that is a question for them to answer’’, he said.
He also said that the Federal Government was yet to implement major contemporary issues such as payment of shortfalls, among others.
Vanguard
