By Toyin Saheed
The Kwara State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress and its affiliate unions today staged a peaceful protest to solidarise with the striking academic and non-academic staff unions of Nigerian Universities.
The protest which was a the instance of the National headquarters of the NLC is to fast track quick resolution of the issues that precipitated the lingering industrial action in the university system.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Kwara State, Issa Ore, disclosed that the labour will declare a 3-day strike should the federal government refuse to heed to the demands of the university workers.
He said it was disturbed that the strike action had made students in public universities idle while the resultant effect was observed in the upsurge in crimes believed to have been perpetrated mostly by the youth.
The organized labour lamented the failure of the federal government to honour the agreement between it and the aggrieved university workers, which had caused the prolonged strike.
Speaking on behalf of the Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and their non-academic counterparts, the ASUU Chairman of Kwara State University Malete, Doctor Sheu Abdulganiy Salau said they are fighting against the rots in the University system for the future of the Nigerian students.
The protesters however called on the federal government to attend to the needs of the university workers and allow the university system to run seemlessly.
Meanwhile, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Labour, Comrade Abdulmumeen Onagun while addressing the members of the union promised to the deliver the letter of the union accordingly adding that the governor is in support of the struggle of union.
It would be recalled that Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) had embarked on industrial action after the failure of the federal government to meet their demands for improved welfare and infrastructure in public universities among others.
