NLC threatens strike over ASUU/FG crisis

President of the NLC, Mr. Abdulwahed Omar
| credits: File copy

The leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress  has threatened to call a nationwide industrial action if the Federal Government failed to stop the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

The NLC in a communiqué issued at the end of its National Executive Committee meeting in Kaduna, on Wednesday, said that it was unfortunate that the government had not taken the expected steps to stop the ongoing strike that had crippled academic activities in public universities.

The President of the NLC, Mr. Abdulwahed Omar and the Acting General Secretary of the Congress, Mr. Chris Uyot, accused the Federal Government of sponsoring protests against ASUU instead of resolving the lingering crisis.

They warned that the NLC would not hesitate to call out Nigerian workers to protest across the country if the present situation was not changed by the Federal Government.

Omar and Uyot also stated that the NLC had taken a decision to intervene in the crisis rocking the university system in order to save Nigerian students from needless pains.

“NEC-In-Session expresses its deep concern for the near total collapse of the education sector. It is a sad commentary that government has allowed the strike by ASUU  to drag on for so long with incalculable consequences.

“Rather than resolve these issues, government is busy sponsoring protest groups against ASUU.

“NEC cautions that if government persists with this line of action, it will mobilize its members to stage counter protests across the country. It has the will and the capacity and it advises that government should not test that will.”

Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor, The Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, Prof. Adebayo Adeyemi, has described the lingering ASUU strike as a national problem, and not a blessing to the private universities.

Adeyemi while briefing the press on Wednesday on its 5th forthcoming convocation, said both the Federal Government and ASUU should meet and reach an implementable agreement, so that the strike could be called off.