By Peace O. Aboje
THE National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has suspended its 158 days old strike. The union’s President, Comrade Ibeji Nwokoma, made the pronouncement on Thursday while speaking with newsmen at the end of a meeting of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC).
Comrade Nwokoma said the suspension would be for three months to allow government time to implement resolutions from their negotiations. He however stated that NAAT rejected the “no work no pay” policy put in place by the government, as they’re not the cause of the prolonged strike but rather federal government’s failure to address issues promptly, and as such they’ll not hesitate to embark on an indefinite strike without notice at the end of the three months period of waiting for implementation.
The strike which was embarked upon on the 21st of March, 2022, was to press its demands which included non-full implementation of FGN/NAAT 2009 agreement, refusal to release enabling circular for the implementation of CONTISS 14 and 15 academic technologists, non-payment of arrears of earned academic allowance to its members, amongst others.
Meanwhile, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) however says it will meet on Sunday 28th August to decide on whether to suspend the strike or not. The meeting promised to be decisive as the union said it will be making decision based on the results of the state congresses.
The federal government has however called on the ASUU to consider the plight of students at home and call off the strike. The Minister of State for Education, Goodluck Nanah Opiah, made the call in Owerri while addressing journalists. He expressed optimism that with the recent suspension of strike by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) on Saturday, the industrial action by ASUU would be over soon and students will return to classroom in due time.