COEASU suspends seven month old strike

Abuja - The Colleges of Education of Academic Staff Union
(COEASU) said on Thursday that it had suspended its seven
month-old strike for three months with effect from Monday, July
21.
COEASU Chairman, Mr Emmanuel Asagha, announced the
suspension at the end of a meeting with the Minister of Education,
Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau, in Abuja.
Asagha said that the three months period was to allow the Federal
Government to finalise its agreement with the union.
"We are trusting that they will keep their own side of the
agreement because in a month or two from now, we will follow it
up."
"And in the third month, we will have a reason to totally call off
the strike. We believe that the issues will be resolved in no time."
"I have been told that a meeting has been called with the National
Salaries Income and Wages Commission as regard migration for
tomorrow."
"This shows that the minister is committed to resolving the
lingering crises in the education sector,’’ he said."
He said that the minister had assured the union that nothing
would challenge the presidential approval.
He said the bone of contention between the union and the Federal
Government were the non-release of the White Paper on the
visitation panels to all the Colleges of Education.
Asagha said that others were the non-release of funds for the
implementation of CONTISS 15 migration for lower cadre and
arrears, among others.
He said the union also called on the Federal Government to set up
a technical committee that would look into the issues of security,
outsource services.
The union chairman said that others were sabbatical leave,
payment of death benefits, among others.
Responding, the minister assured the unions that the issues would
be resolved within the stipulated time.
Shekarau said that the Federal Government was committed to
resolving the lingering issues in the sector.
"We had an understanding with the union members and the
ministry pleaded with them to go back to the classrooms."
"We have assured them that we will quickly attend to all the
contending issues."
"I gave them my word on behalf of the government that none of
their members would be victimised for participating in the strike.’’
"We have appealed to them to call the strike off while other issues
are being resolved,’’ Shekarau said.
The Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike;
Permanent Secretary, MacJohn Nwaobiala; members of Non-
Academic Staff Union of Universities and Senior Staff Union of
Colleges of Education, Nigeria attended the meeting.
COEASU and the ministry signed an agreement to ensure the
implementation of the demands within the period.
- NAN