- Unions embark on demonstration due to government’s failure to honour multiple agreements
The Nigeria Police, Federal Capital Territory, FCT Command, on Thursday stopped the Joint Action Committee, (JAC), of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, (SSANU), and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, (NASU), from embarking on protest in Abuja.
Recall that in March 2022, the unions embarked on a strike due to the government’s failure to honour multiple agreements.
However, in 2023, President Bola Tinubu directed the payment of their withheld salaries and exclusion of universities from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) platform.
Nine months after the presidential directives, the unions accused the Federal Government of selective payment of withheld salaries by excluding their members.
Meanwhile, today, July 18th, 2024, armed Police personnel, who were deployed with Armoured vehicles and Hilux Vans, barricaded the entrance of the popular Unity Fountain in Maitama District of Abuja, the meeting point of the union members.
While the FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Benneth Igwe, stormed the venue, telling the union leaders that they would not use Abuja streets for their protest without giving any reason for the blockage.
However, NASU general-secretary, Peters Adeyemi, who spoke briefly thereafter, told journalists that appropriate authorities were informed about the planned protest.
Those who addressed the protesting workers are the SSANU President, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, the NASU President, Comrade Hassan Makolo, and the NASU General Secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi.
Details later…
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