A.D Rufa’i College Misau joins COEASU’s four weeks nationwide industrial action

By Samuel Luka, Bauchi.

The A.D Rufa’i College of Education, Legal and General studies, Misau in Bauchi state has embarked on industrial action in compliance with the directive of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU).

This was contained in circular signed and issued to newsmen in Bauchi by the Caretaker Committee (CTC) Secretary of the college, Bashir Dahiru on Tuesday.

The circular which was copied to the state Head of Service, Director State Security Service, Bauchi, said that the strike commences on Tuesday as directed the national body of the union.

The union said that the decision to embark on the strike followed the expiration of the Twenty-one Day ultimatum that was issued to the federal government by the union to resolve the problems or face industrial disharmony from 9th May, 2022 – 6th June, 2022.

Bashir Dahiru noted that at the end of the ultimatum, it was unanimously concluded that the government is insensitive to the plight of the Union, hence the need for members of the union to down-tool.

He said as a chapter of the Union and members of the NEC, they are obliged to abide and comply with all resolutions reached by the national body of the union.

Dahiru further explained that the national body of the union had during its NEC meeting at Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, Delta State on Friday, 10th June, 2022 observed that the federal government has become insensitive to the union’s plights.

Our Corresspondent reports that the national body of the union had in a communique signed by the President of the Union, Dr. Smart Olugbeko and the secretary, Dr. Ahmed Lawan Bazza respectively, dated Friday 10th June, 2022 directed their members to go on four weeks strike to further press home their demands.

The Communique said the meeting which was held in Federal College of education (technical), Asaba, Delta state has in attendance, 51 Chapters comprising of 111 delegates including former Presidents and members of the National Officers’ Council (NOC).

According to the communique, the NEC received with utter disappointment the continued inaction of Government on lingering issues in spite of the Union’s lengthy perseverance and uncommon disposition towards alternative dispute resolution.

“It was considered more worrisome that the FG has failed to reciprocate the patience of COEASU which was underpinned by concern for the plight of the students and the system since December 5th 2018, when the last strike action was suspended”, the union said.

COEASU observed with regret that the federal government has failed to constitute its own team to pave way for renegotiation between it and COEASU as contained in the 2010 Agreement despite all entreaties of the Union.

Other observations according to the union are non-release of N15billion approved out of the N456,599,691,914.18Billion revitalization fund recommended for both Federal and State Colleges of Education contrary to repeated promises of the FG.

The Communique also decried non-implementation of the consequential effect of the implementation of CONTISS15 on Lower Cadre (a.k.a. Migration) since 2018.

COEASU further noted that Poor funding of Colleges of Education and poor conditions across State-owned Colleges of education especially in Ogun, Kwara, Abia, Kogi, Zamfara, Yobe and Edo States is yet to be addressed.

The union reiterated its stand against the FGs insistence on IPPIS against more reliable alternative of UTAS for its members.

The Union resolved that the total strike action suspended by the Union in December 2018 be resumed immediately for four weeks in the first instance.

It stated that the NEC will reconvene after the four weeks strike action to re-assess the level of Government’s commitment on the issues for appropriate decision on way forward thenceforth.

The Communique directed every Chapter Congress across the federation to convene on Tuesday, 14th June, 2022 to adequately inform the Congress on the commencement of the strike action due the festering issues and the status of inaction leading to the industrial action.

The union which said that the strike action shall be total, added that all members of the academic staff in all Colleges of education, both Federal and State, must withdraw from all statutory duties without exemption.

The Communique which informed all State-owned Colleges already on industrial action to press home local demands should ask their members to continue impress on their respective Managements that the local strike shall continue.

While mandating Vice Presidents, Zonal Coordinators to monitor the compliance of Chapters in their respective Zones, the Communique warned that defaulters would be prevented from enjoying the gains of the struggle, including other sanctions in accordance to union’s regulations.