By VICTOR NWACHUKWU
OWERRI- The Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri chapter of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), says it has officially joined a nationwide strike embarked upon by the Union.
This is contained in a statement co-signed by the Chairman of COEASU Alvan chapter, Mrs Jovita Ogu and Secretary, Mr James Akaraonye, and made available to newsmen in Owerri, on Thursday.
According to the duo, the four-week strike which began on June 14, is in compliance with a decision reached by its National Executive Council (NEC).
The statement said NEC noted that the strike was due to the Federal Government’s failure to implement its year 2010 agreement with the union.
” The Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education Owerri chapter of the COEASU, on June 14, embarked on a four-week strike in compliance with the decision reached by the Union’s NEC at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, ” the statement said.
It listed contentious issues to include alleged failure of the Federal Government to constitute its own team and commence renegotiation of Federal Government and COEASU 2010 Agreement in spite of all entreaties by the Union.
Others are refusal of Federal Government to mainstream demonstration school staff in the payroll of the Colleges, non-payment of outstanding promotion arrears from year 2016 to date and non-payment of responsibility allowance to librarians.
Also in contention was the non-release of N15 billion approved by the Federal Government out of the N456,599,691,914 revitalisation fund recommended for both federal and state colleges of education.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the strike is in continuation of the industrial action embarked upon by the Union, which was suspended on December 2018. (NAN)
