The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) on
Tuesday in Lagos said its discussion with the Federal Government concerning its
ongoing strike has ended in a deadlock.
Mr Olayanju Abolaji, COEASU Chairman, Federal College of
Education (Technical), Akoka, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) the strike
would therefore continue until its demands were met.
Abolaji said COEASU’s National Executive Council met with
Federal Government representatives, led by the Minister of Labour and
Productivity, Mr Emeka Wogu, on Thursday, Feb. 20.
He said the union could not reach an agreement with the
Federal Government team because government’s offer to the striking workers was
not appreciable.
``COEASU is not ready to take empty promises. The Federal
Government must be committed to implementing our demands to an appreciable
level before we can call off the strike.
``We are ready to call off the strike, even if it is
necessary today, but that is if there is a commitment on the part of the Federal
Government,” Abolaji said.
He said the union would not relent in its struggle to
improve the standard of the Colleges of Education.
Abolaji said government was yet to give the cash backing
needed to cater for the needs of the Colleges of Education as reported to it by
the Needs Assessment Committee.
``The Needs Assessment Committee set up by the Federal
Government has visited the colleges, collated their needs and sent the cost
implication to the government.
``But we are yet to receive the cash backing to that
effect,” he said.
NAN reports that COEASU had on Dec. 31, 2013 declared an
indefinite nationwide strike to press home its demands.
It had complained about the poor state of infrastructure in
the colleges, as well as their poor funding.
The union also rejected the Integrated Personnel and Payroll
Information System (IPPIS) already operational in the Federal Civil Service and
the non-implementation of the 2010 Federal Government-COEASU agreement.
(NAN)
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