The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to government to begin the implementation of an agreement signed with it or face industrial action.
This is contained in a communiqué issued and signed by the Deputy President, Wakili Tijani, Chairman of the Trade Union Group (TGC) of NASU and Deputy General Secretary 1, Research and Project (TGC), Emma Okonkwo.
The communique which was issued at the end of the union’s meeting in Abuja on Sunday.
Although the communique lauded the intervention of Ministers of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Labour and Productivity, NASU berated government for not showing any urgency to implement the agreement.
“The Council-in-session noted that the six weeks of grace given the Federal Government to look positively into the grey areas of the agreement has lapsed without any meaningful resolution in sight.”
It, therefore, called on government to as a matter of urgency, expedite action in getting this matter resolved within the next 14 days, with effect from Nov. 19, 2012, or the union may be compelled to resume the suspended strike action in the sector.
It said that a letter purportedly written to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) not to implement the Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS) for workers in the research institutions may also add more than one dimension to the problem.
The union stressed that the letter with reference number SWC/S/04S.317/VOL.11/188 and dated 27th August, 2012, addressed to the Minister of Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, not to pay the new salary structure was offensive and insensitive to the plights of the workers.
Commenting on the state of the nation, the communiqué noted with concern the lingering long queues for fuel in most parts of the country, leading to the sale of the commodity sold above the official price of N97 per litre.
The union, therefore, urged the government to build new refineries to cater for domestic consumption as a permanent solution to the challenge.
The council observed that based on past experiences, it is being conjectured that the lingering fuel scarcity was being used by the government to gauge the likely response of the masses in case of another hike in fuel price.
It noted that the resilience and docility of the people should not be misconstrued aan acceptance of avoidable hardship and endless suffering.
It, therefore, called on government to, as a matter of urgency, wake up to its responsibility by taking all necessary steps to ensure uninterrupted fuel supply without further delay.
The communique said that the present challenge of fuel scarcity and subsidy could only be resolved, if new refineries were built.
“Our national demand for petroleum products cannot be met by the antiquated facilities of the present refineries,” it added.