LECTURERS in Nigerian Colleges of Education have suspended the strike they embarked upon on June 10 for two months.
Operating under the aegis of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), the teachers said in a statement released on Friday by their President, Smart Olugbeko, and General Secretary, Ahmed Bazza, that they had decided to put the strike on hold for two months.
The statement said the government had made significant efforts to meet the union’s demands and as a result the National Executive Council of the association decided to suspend the strike after its meeting in Abuja.
Before downing tools on June 10, the lecturers had on May 25 warned the government they would proceed on strike.
Some of the lecturers’ demands are: using the University Transparency Accountability System (UTAS) to pay their salaries and allowances instead of the Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), full implementation of the statutory salary structure, and full domestication of the 65-year retirement age for workers in colleges of education.
They also accused the Federal Government of a statutory breach and administrative aberration and called for the payment of salaries and allowances to their members working in colleges of education owned by state governments.
Besides, the COEASU demanded the release of N15 billion promised by the government for revitalizing colleges of education in the country.
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“While appreciating critical stakeholders for their intervention and dogged commitment to the resolution of the strike, as evident in the enormous progress made at the ongoing negotiations and the appreciable level of progress made towards the amendment of the Colleges of Education Amendment Act which is paramount for the colleges of education system, the NEC resolved that the nationwide strike action which commenced on June 10, 2022, be suspended for a cool-off period of 60 days to give the government the opportunity to perfect the progress made so far into tangible achievements that are acceptable to the union after which the NEC shall reconvene to reassess the status of the issues and decide the way forward,” part of the union’s statement said on Friday.
The association also appealed to the government to improve the security situation in the nation.
