ASUU: FG Declares NLC Planned Solidarity Protest Illegal

The Federal Government has declared that the solidarity protest that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) plans to embark on with the striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is illegal.

The NLC announced last week that it plans to embark on a nationwide protest on the 26th and 27th of July “to get our children back to school and support our unions in Nigeria’s public universities fighting for quality education”.

However, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, declared the planned protest illegal on the grounds that they have no pending dispute with the government.

Mohammed said this while addressing State House correspondents on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

The Minister further accused the NLC of being politically motivated, admonishing the union to “insulate itself completely from politics”.

THE WHISTLER reported yesterday that the National Association of University Students (NAUS) indicated its intention to join in on the national protest as well.

“NAUS shall be part of the protest nationwide to demand the immediate resolution of issues between the Federal Government and ASUU so our students can go back to the classes.

“Consequently, all NAUS stakeholders; Students’ Union Presidents, Zonal Vice Presidents, Campus Monitoring Committee Chairmen, members and the general public are hereby put on high notice to mobilise, organise and get prepared to be part of this unprecedented movement,” the statement read.

ASUU has been on strike since February 14th in an attempt to compel the government to meet its demands.

Other university unions which are currently on strike include the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) also announced on Wednesday that it will be extending its strike by three weeks.

The Union had embarked on a one-month strike on Tuesday, 14th June 2022, but have now announced plans to extend it, blaming the extension on the state government’s inaction with regards to satisfying their demands.