By Joan Nwagwu
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) says it will resist any attempt to sell Federal Government Unity Schools.
ASCSN President, Mr Shehu Mohammed, said this while declaring open the union’s National Executive Council meeting in Abuja.
He said unity schools remain a national heritage and must not be commercialised.
“We will oppose any policy that undermines access to quality education for Nigerian children,” Mohammed said.
He warned that selling the schools would deny children of ordinary Nigerians access to quality education and deepen existing inequalities.
Mohammed urged parents, civil society groups and labour unions to join efforts to safeguard the schools and support reforms promoting national unity.
He said the union is also pushing for amendments to the Contributory Pension Scheme to allow retirees full lump-sum withdrawal.
“Workers should have the right to access their full pension savings at once,” he stated.
Mohammed said a sustainable pension system was essential for workers’ welfare and national stability.
He reaffirmed the union’s demand for full restoration of gratuity for all public servants, noting that many retirees depend on it for survival.
Mohammed added that ASCSN would monitor government commitments to ensure gratuity backlogs are cleared without delay.
He also urged the Federal Government to adopt a regulated state police model to strengthen national security.
“Security challenges require community-based policing with strong federal oversight,” he said.
He noted that the current centralised policing structure was overstretched and unable to respond to local security threats.
Mohammed said the union would engage stakeholders and lawmakers to ensure that security reforms protect workers and the wider public.
He called on the Federal Government to consult widely before implementing policies affecting education and security, stressing the need for transparency and national consensus.