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Tag: Indefinite strike

  • Fuel dealers begin indefinite strike in Ekiti

    Fuel dealers begin indefinite strike in Ekiti

    •Shut outlets in protest against Fayose’s policy

    All filling stations were shut in Ekiti State on Monday as petrol dealers began an indefinite strike action in protest against Governor Ayo Fayose’s order revoking Certificates of Occupancy (C of Os) granted them.
    Acting under the aegis of the state chapter of Petrol Dealers Association of Nigeria (PEDAN), they maintained that the action would continue until the governor reverses the policy and tender a public apology.
    The oil marketers also criticized Fayose for hurling abuses at them during his monthly media chat held Sunday evening in which he called them “extortioners who are only interested in profit making at the expense of wellbeing of the populace.”
    Members of the association went round Ado Ekiti and other parts of the state to ensure that no filling station was opened for business a development which is already taking its toll on traffic.
    Addressing a briefing in in conjunction with the state chapter of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), PEDAN said the strike was in solidarity with their members affected by the new policy.
    PEDAN Chairman, Ayodele Owoeye, Secretary, Sulaiman Akinbami and NUPENG Chairman, Olumide Jegede, said the policy was capable of crippling businesses of oil marketers if left unchallenged.
    Reading a prepared speech, Akinbami said: “I have been in petrol business for 30 years and the first time Ekiti had fire incident was the case of January 8, 2017 at Strive Energy Petrol Station at Ijigbo in Ado Ekiti.
    “As I speak with you, victims had been compensated contrary to what the governor said that each of them got as low as N10,000. About 18 of the victims have received compensations .
    “So, we are not even ready to go on strike until when Mr Governor appeared on radio and television on Sunday where he incited the public against us and called us thieves. Is it a crime for us to invest in Ekiti. What have we done wrong to warrant these abuses?”, he asked.
    “Apart from the foregoing, we want Governor Fayose withdraw case against our member and owner of Strive Energy Petrol Station and we want the ban placed on the operation of the station be lifted.
    “Government must ensure that the released armed robbers who attacked a petrol station at Ilawe Ekiti are apprehended and brought to justice. We totally reject inciting of public against our members by Governor Fayose and we demand public apology for this”, he said.
    Civil servants and operators of small scale businesses, including artisans whose jobs depended principally on use of petrol, were the worst hit, with many either trekking long distances, pay higher to get to their offices or close shop.
    Only few vehicles as well as small number of commercial motorcycles ply the road due to non availability of fuel attendants.

    Police arrest three for robbery
    From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta
    The police in Ogun State yesterday arrested three robbery suspects during an operation at the Owakurudu – Old Epe garage in Ijebu-Ode.
    Biola Dabiri(23), Wasiu Oluyadi (24) and Bolaji Oluwole(23) were arrested by operatives of the anti-robbery team of the Igbeba Police Divisional Headquarters, led by Chief Superintendent of Police, Adebiyi Ademola.
    Police spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi said the suspects engaged the operatives in a shootout before their arrest.
    According to Oyeyemi, three other members of the gang escaped but two laptop computers, six phones and two live cartridges were recovered.
    He said the police would go after the fleeing members of the gang.
    Ex-MEND leader delists pro-APC beneficiaries
    Tension is currently brewing in the riverine community of Bolowou, Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State following the alleged non payment of the N65,000 monthly Amnesty stipend to at least twenty five beneficiaries of the scheme.
    The victims have alleged the former western fringe commander of the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Mr Bibopere Ajube, alias General Shoot at Sight, as the mastermind of the stoppage of their allowances.
    They said Ajube was punishing them over their refusal to support the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) in the November 26 governorship election in Ondo state.
    Ajube, a PDP chieftain, donated handsomely to the party just as he bought a bullet proof GMG Jeep to the party’s governorship candidate, Eyitayo Jegede for his campaigns.
    The affected twenty five beneficiaries in a jointly signed statement therefore threatened to embark on a peaceful protest on Wednesday this week at Bolowou if their allowances remained unpaid before then.
    They said Ajube delisted their names at the Amnesty Office, Abuja with the active collaboration of the ccordinator, Brigadier General Paul Boroh (rtd).
    But the former militant leader who confirmed delisting the beneficiaries however denied that it had anything to do with politics
    “I removed their names from amnesty office because another people need to benefit. It is not APC and PDP matter. They should not turn it to party matter.”
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    Anambra PDP Chairman escapes assassination
    From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

  • Health professionals begin indefinite strike

    Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) members have embarked on an indefinite strike.
    The strike, which was called by NUAHP executives yesterday, include members in tertiary health institutions, Federal Medical Centres and state owned institutions.
    Already, with the declaration of the nationwide strike yesterday, patients at the University College Hospital(UCH) have started groaning with the pains on the hardship the strike would bring on them.
    NUAHP membership, apart from medical practitioners and nurses includes professionals such as dietitians, medical laboratory scientists, radiographers, optometrists, pharmacists, dental therapists, dental technologists, medical physicists, health information officers, clinical psychologists, occupational therapists, medical social workers and others.
    Its National President, Comrade Dr. Ogbonna Obinna Chimela while addressing the reporters at the University Teaching Hospital (UCH), Ibadan on the reasons for the indefinite strike, said the executives of the union called out on members to down tool because of the Federal Government’s alleged insensitivity to addressing some of the issues affecting their members, despite their staging warning strikes.
    Ogbonna said the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) had not seen any reason to address any of the issues positively nor communicate the resolutions of the high-powered meeting held on February 23, this year at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to the union.
    “The union had waited patiently and had shown enough restraints and had exhausted other industrial means because of the poor Nigerian masses, who will suffer when we withdraw our services from the health facilities nationwide. We have been pushed to the wall and this strike is inevitable.”

  • Kogi varsity workers begin indefinite strike

    Kogi State University chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), last Friday, began an indefinite strike.

    The striking workers called for the reconstitution of the university’s Governing Council and payment of arrears owed members. They alleged that about 200 of them have not received salaries in eight months.

    The Chairman, Dr. Daniel Aina, who addressed a news conference at the weekend in Lokoja, maintained that the absence of the governing council in the last one year affected the school negatively.

    He said: “In the last one year, we have struggled with the government on issues relating to the smooth running of the university. We will, however, not fail to appreciate the government for responding in part, by the paying in instalments, arrears of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA). This shows that the government has the capacity to meet its obligations to the university.

    “ASUU-KSU has sought to have audience with the Visitor but we have been denied the opportunity. Our demands have been forwarded to government but there has been no formal response. We have cried out to the world about the deteriorating situation in Kogi State University, the climax of which is the mass exodus of choice lecturers.

    “The hardships meted to the perceived “ghosts” or “improper” workers are needless because even the law deems everyone innocent until proven guilty.

    “The conduct of the screening exercise is alien to the university system and ASUU-KSU has resolved never to be subjected to such unethical practice again.

    “We had wanted the ‘No pay, No Work’ action but we were cajoled. No more shall this happen again.

    “In the last five years, funds committed for infrastructural development is not up to a quarter of what came through the TETFund intervention, which in itself is a product of ASUU struggle.

    “We are tired of working without salary; we are tired of seeing our legacy progressively destroyed through the systematic erosion of the university’s autonomy. We are standing up to oppose oppression and impunity. We are not politicians. We are the vanguard of academic integrity.”

  • Kaduna Polytechnic ASUP begins indefinite strike

    Kaduna Polytechnic ASUP begins indefinite strike

    The Kaduna Polytechnic Academic Staff Union (ASUP) has embarked on an indefinite strike over what it called misappropriation of N260 million and non-payment of five months peculiar academic and hazard allowance arrears.
    Resolution of ASUP congress meeting held on Friday and signed by its Chairman, Dr. Aliyu H. Ibrahim, said the level of impunity, corruption and direct stealing of public funds in Kaduna Polytechnic is alarming.
    The union therefore stated that, it will not call off the strike until the five months arrears of peculiar academic and hazard allowance are paid.
    ASUP also demanded that the former Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr. Mohammed Bello Ibrahim, and Bursar, Malam Sani Sahabi Bodinga, be brought to book.
    According to the congress resolution statement, “the situation in Kaduna Polytechnic is dire and the time to act is now, the level of impunity, corruption and direct stealing of public funds in Kaduna polytechnic is alarming and ASUP (a pressure group) which is usually shortchanged alongside the student whose finances were diverted for personal use instead of infrastructure and educational development of our dear institution would remain the voice of the people.
    “What led to the declaration of the indefinite strike include the following: Non-payment of peculiar academic and hazard allowance arrears after the sum of N173, 979, 898.00 was paid to the management of Kadpoly in March and N86, 989,949.00 in May, 2016.
    “Misappropriation of fund – N260, 969,847.00 2016 shortfall was used to pay 25% of December 2015 salary to the tune of N92, 119,439.50. Misappropriation of fund – TETFund N36m construction fund was removed from TETFund dedicated account and transferred to other charges to pay local contractors.
    “December 2015 salary was paid in 4 installments of 24.9%, 25.1%, 25% and 25% respectively over a period of two months N67m of December 2015 salary is yet to be fully paid in terms of cooperative deductions, tax remittances, church and mosques deductions, etc” it said.

  • NLC directs Oyo workers to proceed on indefinite strike

    The National Headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) in conjunction with the Oyo State Chapter on Monday have ordered workers in the state to begin an indefinite strike‎ from Tuesday.

    The NLC led by Mr Solomon Adelegan, the union’s National Vice-Chairman gave the directive after a congress held at the labour secretariat in Ibadan shortly after the seven labour leaders detained since Friday regained their freedom Monday.

    Adelegan said that the strike action would continue until the underlistd demands are met.‎

    Their listed demands includes:,” Immediate withdrawal of all trump-up charges leveled against the incarcerated labour leaders, Government must rescind its decision to sell-off any public schools in the state, Proper and adequate funding of the education sector including payment of living wages and other incentive for educational workers and Immediate Payment of 6 months outstanding salaries and all pension arrears‎ withdrawal of all trump-up charges leveled against the incarcerated labour leaders.”

    “The National Secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, is quick to bring to the notice of the general public of how the Oyo government went ahead early hour Monday 6th June, 2016 to mobilise hundreds of armed thugs  to Iyaganku magistrate court with a directive  to allegedly  attack innocent and law abiding workers whom are expected to be at the same magistrate court this morning to ensure the adequate perfection of bail conditions given towards the release of  the labour leaders who  had been incarcerated since Friday 3rd of June 2016 at Agodi prison, in Ibadan.

    Consequently, our members were beaten, harassed and intimated by these gangs of armed thugs.

    “This is a deliberate attempt to scare the workers away from the court premises with a view to frustrate the perfection of the bail conditions and ensure that our leaders continue to be incarcerated. It is also disheartening to state that students who also stormed the court premises in a protest against an attempt to sell off their schools to a handful of capitalist profiteers in the state were also tear gas by members of the Nigeria Police force.

    ‎We of the NLC, Oyo State council absolutely condemned this dastard and uncivilised approach of Senator Abiola-led government, at the same time, remain undaunted and no amount of persecution and intimidation is capable to deter us in the struggle to resist the sale of any of the public schools in the state.

    “Therefore, we call on the general public not to hesitate to hold Senator Ajimobi solely responsible should Oyo State be plunged into a state of uncontrollable anarchy as a result of his crude and uncivilised method of mobilising thugs and use of military force to silence the opposition voice against the anti-people plan to sell some leading secondary schools in the state under the pretence of private public partnership, PPP.,” he said

    Speaking after his release, Olojede said that the struggle continue, saying that their action was in support of the pronouncement of Education International, which orders that education was a social responsibility of government.

    He said that it is unfortunate that Gov. Abiola Ajimobi was planning to sell-off their schools to the political class, who had during their own time benefitted the free education initiated by late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

    Olojede cautioned the prospective buyers of the school not to waste their money, calling on market women and men to join in the struggle against the selling of schools in the state.

    He urged the general public to always be wary of those to be elected in position of authority, so that they would not wake up one and find the entire state sold.

    The union leader urged workers in the state to comply with the sit at home until the union demands are met.

  • Ondo workers begin indefinite strike June 1

    Ondo workers begin indefinite strike June 1

    Civil Servants in Ondo State are to begin an indefinite strike action on Wednesday, June 1, to protest non-payment of over five months salary.

    The strike notice is contained in a communiqué issued in Akure by the state Chairmen and Secretaries of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).

    It said that the decision followed an emergency meeting of the labour unions which reviewed the failure of the state government to pay the workers since January 2016.

    “It has become unbearable that workers have not received salaries for the past five months at a stretch.

    “That non-payment of salaries to workers have affected the wellbeing of workers/pensioners economically, socially, psychologically and health wise.

    “That workers of Ondo State can no longer bear this situation, in view of the untold hardship suffered by these workers,” it added.

    The unions, therefore, directed all civil servants in the state to remain at home beginning from June 1, until the government settles the salary arrears.

    The communiqué was signed by the state NLC Chairman, Bose Daramola, NLC Secretary, Adewale Sanusi, JNC Chairman, Sunday Adeleye, his Secretary Akinlolu Oluwole, as well as TUC Chairman and Secretary Ekundayo Soladoye and Fatuase Clement, respectively.

  • Students protest indefinite shutdown of Bayelsa varsity

    Students protest indefinite shutdown of Bayelsa varsity

    Students from the Bayelsa State-owned Niger Delta University (NDU), Saturday, protested the indefinite closure of the university following the inability of the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson to pay backlog of workers’ salaries.

    The students under the aegis of the Niger Delta Visionary Movement (NDVM) also knocked other students’ bodies such as the Student Union Government of Niger Delta University (SUG-NDU), National Union of Bayelsa state students (NUBSS) and the National union of Izon-Ebe Students (NUIS) describing them as puppets.

    The aggrieved students in a statement signed by the Spokesman, NDVM, Mr. Wisdom Adike, threatened to march naked with their books and block the entrance to Government House if after a week the stakeholders failed to settle their rift and open the university.

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been on strike following the inability of Dickson to pay its members.

    Adike said: “We wish to bring to the notice of the general public, that the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Niger Delta University Chapter on 26th April 2016, over nonpayment of salaries, have led to the shutdown of the institution for over 3 weeks now, which have continued to give parents and students great concern.

    “Niger Delta University being the only state owned university is a legacy established by the late Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha who was recently laid to rest. The institution has not only helped in meeting the manpower needs of the state but the entire Niger Delta region and beyond.

    “However, we wish to express our displeasure over the lingering strike and government’s attitude towards resolving the situation noting that the strike has increased hardship, made students to sit idle at home and lose focus on their academic pursuit, as well prolonged their academic programmes, thereby causing youth restiveness and society unrest”.

    He wondered why all the students’ bodies kept sealed lips and toothless over the plights of students and appealed to the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide to intervene and ensure immediate reopening of the school.

    He said: “We also call on the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) to stand up, break their silence and defend the legacy of the ijaw nation by ensuring the immediate reopening of Niger Delta University. This is because now is the time to protect our common heritage.

    “We are also using this medium to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in his magnanimity and benevolence in salvaging the state from the current economic crunch and hardship as parents and guardians especially in the local governments of the state have not received salaries for over 12 months, despite the release of bail out funds by the federal government.

    “Finally, we want to urged all students to embrace peace and calmness as all available non violence means will be utilized to end this strike and return back to school.

    “We also want to state, that if the bayelsa state government, IYC, and other stakeholders fail to give a positive response within one week, then we shall march naked with our books and foams across the state and beyond, we shall occupy creek haven and the east-west road”.

  • Construction workers begin indefinite strike

    • Express concern over building collapse

    THE Union of Civil Engineering, Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW) has commenced an indefinite strike.

    The members said they  embarked on the strike because of the failure of the union and their employers to implement the agreements signed by the two parties some months ago.

    At a briefing, the National President, Comrade Amechi Asugwuni, criticised the employers – the Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI).

    According to Asugwuni, a document known as National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC), contains the terms and conditions of service for junior employees, which must be reviewed every two years.

    “The document was due for review last year, when the FOCI, in letter signed by its Director General, Olubunmi Adekoya which dated September 1, 2010 with reference number:  FED/NUCECFWW/2015/OA/SAO, had requested the construction employees through their union to submit proposal for the review of the document,” he said.

    The letter, made available to reporters, read in part: “As you are aware, the current NJIC Agreement is due to expire soon. We hereby request that you submit your proposal for 2015 Negotiation so that we can plan accordingly.”

    Asugwuni alleged that having submitted the proposal as requested, FOCI started twisting the rules of the game, claiming that it was not ready for any negotiation.

    “Their recalcitrant actions have prompted this strike and unless they are ready to go back to the negotiation table, the strike continues. It is either NJIC or nothing. This, we are saying, is sacrosanct,” he said.

    The construction workers union also alleged that Nigerians had suffered alot of unwarranted retrenchment in the industry, adding that, among others, a construction company that used to have up to 18000 workers is left with fewer than 8000 workers.

    Asugwuni also alleged that upon the huge pressure mounted on the workers, they were still not getting any remuneration or allowance that justifies their service.

    “Embarking on this nationwide strike did not just happen, it is as a  result of failure on the part of our employers to sustain dialogue which is the most required and viable option for every Negotiation.

    “Various meetings were initiated by this union but they had never got the time to sit with us and dialogue with us, even as they are the one expected to initiative such meetings for dialogue. It appears they have something to achieve from doing this but for us, no going back on the decision until they are ready to come to terms,” he said.

    While urging the Ministry of Works to engage in resolving the controversy, he  expressed concern over recurring building collapse in the country, saying that the government still has much to do in the areas of awarding contracts and supervising them.

    “Many of the collapse buildings were constructed by those who are not our members; those bridges and buildings constructed by our members more than a hundred years ago are still there strong and reliable. There is need to award major contract to our members who are Nigerians, because we understand the implications of whatever the work that we on the country,” he said.

  • SSANU threatens indefinite strike

    SSANU threatens indefinite strike

    The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has threatened to declare an indefinite strike over a directive by the Federal Government for universities to retrench workers of University Staff Schools.

    The National President of the association, Mr Samson Ugwoke made the plan known at a news conference in Abuja on Friday.

    He said that failure by the government to honour the agreement between it and SSANU on the schools would compel the association to declare an indefinite strike

    “SSANU wishes to notify the Federal Government of our intention to resume our national industrial action on rejection of the directive to Vice-Chancellors of Federal Universities, by the National Salaries, income and wages Commission to retrench over 2,000 workers.

    “This set of people has been employed by the universities councils for upward of decades and productively contributing their quotas to the development of the Nigerian education system, “ he said.

    He said that the directive to retrench the workers emanated from a circular written on behalf of the minister of Education.

    According to him, the implication of this directive is that this category of workers from over 30 universities will be thrown into the unemployment market.

    Ugwoke said that University Staff Schools were an integral part of the university system, established as welfare and municipal services for scholars and staff.

    He said the children of university workers should have access to subsidised elementary education and that education should be considered a matter of right and not favour.

    Ugwoke said that the implementation of such directive would be a gross violation and breach of the 2009 agreement between the association and government.

    According to him, the agreement is that the university shall bear full capital and recurrent cost of University Staff Primary schools.

    “Having engaged the government in prolonged negotiations which culminated in the signing of the 2009 agreement, we hereby declare that we will defend the sanctity of every part of that agreement, “ he said.

    The association president said that if the motive was to curb wastage in governance, then government should beam its searchlight on other areas of the sector.

    Ugwoke said although it was the desire of the association that industrial peace be maintained in the universities, such situation should not be at the cost of its members.

  • UCTH nurses, midwives begin indefinite strike

    UCTH nurses, midwives begin indefinite strike

    The University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) yesterday began an indefinite strike.

    The association, which comprises nurses and midwives, is protesting the alleged non-payment of three years arrears of their uniform allowance, four years arrears of training allowance and other allowances, promotions and the general conditions of the hospital, among others.

    UCTH’s NANNM Chairman, Sylvester Ugor, told our reporter that the association started the strike, following what he called the futile attempts to make the management address its demands, especially the payment of uniform allowance.

    Members of the union, last week, gave the hospital management a seven-day ultimatum and, since Thursday, have been wearing mufti to work to protest the non-payment of their uniform allowance.

    Ugor, whose executive council took over in March, said several negotiations with the hospital management had failed to yield any result.

    The chairman said the association would continue the strike until the management settled the debts or made “reasonable commitment”.

    He urged the hospital management to do something about the situation.

    Ugor said: “Want we want is for our money to be paid and we will get back to work. Our job is to save lives, and we are not happy being at home. It is our calling to save lives. If they settle our issues or show reasonable commitment, we would go back to work with immediate effect.

    “When we assumed office in March, we presented 11 issues to the hospital’s management 5to address. It was during a courtesy visit. Surprisingly, nothing has been done. We have had several consultations and nothing happened.”

    Authorities of the UCTH refused to comment on the matter.