Kwara NLC Protest over Continue ASUU Strike 

By Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Kwara state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday  joined the national body of the union to stage a  peaceful protest along major streets of Ilorin, the state capital to call for the the implementation of the agreement with Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) by the federal government.

As early as 8.am, members of the union  which included NLC, ASUU, NASU, SANU and other allied unions  came out in large numbers to stage the peaceful protest that started  at the state secretariat of the NLC, Ilorin.

The security agencies like police, civil defence corps among others were at hand to provide security for the protest so as to avoid being hijacked by unscrupulous elements of the society.

The protesters were armed with placards with various inscriptions like, “There is only one way forward,  honour our agreement”,  “National protest to get our children back to school”, among others.

They  moved across the major areas of Ilorin, the state capital so as to educate the members of the public on the protest.

Among areas passed through include Post Office , Challenge, A-Division Round About and Government House,  Ilorin to submit their letter to the state government.

Speaking with  journalists at the NLC Secretariat in Ilorin, the  state chairman  of the union, Comrade Aliyu Isa-Ore said the rally was organised in solidarity with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) members to press home their demand on the need for the federal government to honour their agreement.

He said the federal government had signed an agreement with ASUU some years back on university revatalisation and other sundry issues but without any implementation.

Comrade  Isa-Ore explained that if the federal government refuses to implement their demand after the rally ,the union will go on three day warning strike.

In their separate remarks, the Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) University of Ilorin , Professor Moyosore Ajao  and the Chairman of the National Association of Academic Technologists Union , Comrade Awolola Femi ,commended the NLC for supporting their cause.

The ASUU Unilorin chairman Prof.Saliu Ajao noted that university workers’ demands were legitimate.

According to him,  ASUU demands is long overdue and legitimate to deserve government attention.

“Let the government tell us which of our demands which are not legitimate. We have right to ask for what we deserve.

“Is it our salary that has not increased since last 13 years or our demand for government to make infrastructure available?

“We are not robots. Treat us like humans and safe our children from idleness at home,” he said.

He also explained that the struggle belongs to the entire nation and not ASUU alone.

He  called on federal government to address the lingering strike to save students from becoming  public nuisance.

He added that no nation could grow beyond its intellectual capacity, adding that Nigerian education deserves reinessance.

The chairman, National Association of Academic Technologist, Unilorin branch, Comrade Femi said” we are also affiliate member under NLC and  we are in full support of the NLC  because the government has shown so much insensitivity to the happenings in the University system.

“This struggle is not just for us who are staff of that university it is for our students.

 “If you look at the decay status at the university today you will surprise non of this big people allow their children to come to these universities, if you look at our classroom they are delapidated.

“Also, if you look at our laboratories there is no equipment, there is no chemical to bring out good  research, look at our hostels they are down,  look at every infrastructure in that university, it is down, how can we continue  like this,  brain drain is happening in the university all of our good hands are geting out of this country we are in full support of this because we are fighting for the future of our children.

“We are also  fighting for the future of the youth of this country, we cannot allow things to go down like this, the only thing we can do is to come out in support of our parent’s body”.