Police tear-gas protesting lecturers in Abuja

Protesting lecturers from Polytechnics and Colleges of Education came under Police tear gas attack yesterday in Abuja when they made attempt to reach the National Assembly.

The protesters are members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) who have been on strike for about 10 months.

The lecturers including students were on a peaceful rally to protest the failure of the federal government to implement agreements it reached with the unions since 2009. They include payment of arrears of new wages, death benefit of deceased lecturers, review of the law on colleges of education and polytechnics, implementation of migration whitepaper among others.

The procession, which was snubbed by the Minister of Education Nyesom Wike, was received by the Minister of Labour Emeka Wogu, who said efforts were on to resolve the impasse.

Dissatisfied with the minister’s submission, the procession headed to the National Assembly to deliver a note to the lawmakers but was prevented by a combined team of Police and Department of State Security Service (DSS) operatives in front of the Eagle Square.

The fierce-looking operatives used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd which kept regrouping.

Earlier, the President of COEASU Asagha Emmanuel Nkoro warned the government not to take the lecturers and students for granted.

President of ASUP Chibuzo Asumugha decried the continued discrimination against polytechnic graduates in the country.

Mr. Nuhu Toro, Organising Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) implored the workers to remain peaceful, pledging the solidarity of all workers in the country.

Some of the placards borne by the workers read: ‘Wike must go’; ‘Nigerian polytechnic must be repositioned’; ‘President Jonathan save polytechnic education now’ and ‘ fund Nigerian polytechnics to make it functional.’

Supervising Minister of Education Ezenwo Nyesom Wike said the Education ministry was committed to the resolution of the strike by ASUP and colleges of education.

A statement issued by the minister’s spokesman Simeon Nwakaudu said government had met over 90 per cent of the demands of the unions.

He added that the committee on bridging the gap between HND and First Degree holders will be inaugurated next week with the Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Education as chairman.