COEASU Suspends Strike For 60 Days
The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has suspended her over two months industrial action for a window period of 60 days to allow government perfect the progress made so far.
COEASU in a communique issued at the end of her National Executive Council Meeting (NEC) held in Abuja, said the organ meeting would be reconvene after the 60 days window to assess the situation.
The communique which was jointly signed by Dr. Smart Olugbeko, the President and Dr. Ahmed Lawan Bazza said the union NEC took decision to suspend the action due to the enormous progress made at the ongoing renegotiation and the appreciable level of progress made towards the amendment of the Colleges of Education Establishment Act, which is paramount for the development of the COE system.
The communique reads “NEC, having applauded and passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of the Union for providing proactive leadership and tactful direction, as evident in the unprecedented level of cooperation, unity and compliance of Chapters to the Union’s struggle, charged the President and NOC to sustain their commendable performance towards the development of the College of Education system and general welfare of members of the Union.
On the security challenges in the country , the union calls on Governments at all levels to address the situation more proactively by beefing up security on all campuses, as the system is being reopened for teaching and learning, and across the nation in general.
“NEC noted with cautious satisfaction that significant improvement has been achieved on the issues which informed the roll-over of the national strike action as follows:
“The Federal Government has yielded to the Union’s demand for the constitution of a committee of critical stakeholders including but not limited to representatives of the Union, to, among others, draw modalities for the disbursement of the revitalization fund of fifteen billion naira (N15b) only to CEOs without further delay.
“Renegotiation of COEASU-FGN 2010 Agreement on which the government has been dilly-dallying over time eventually commenced and the Union is satisfied by the progress made so far.
“The commendable actions of some State Governments namely Imo, Kwara, Osun, and the Oyo States towards the resolution of lingering issues in their respective colleges of education while meaningful talks are ongoing on others with outstanding issues, notwithstanding the need for pressure on a few recalcitrant ones.
READ ALSO: Why We Are On Strike , Says COEASU
“While appreciating critical stakeholders for their intervention and dogged commitment to the resolution of the issues, as evident in the enormous progress made at the ongoing renegotiation and the appreciable level of progress made towards the amendment of the Colleges of Education Establishment Act, which is paramount for the development of the COE system,
“NEC resolved that the nationwide strike action started on 10th June 2022 be suspended for a Cool-off-period of 60 days to allow the government to perfect the progress made so far into tangible achievements that are acceptable to the Union after which the NEC shall reconvene to re-assess the status of the issues and decide the way forward.
“NEC decried the high level of insecurity in the country, as evident with the increase in the spate of kidnapping, banditry, killings, and other social vices. NEC, therefore, calls on Governments at all levels to address the situation more proactively by beefing up security on all campuses, as the system is being reopened for teaching and learning, and across the nation in general”.
