Poor Salary: Kaduna Joint Tertiary Institution Unions Shelve Planned Strike

A Joint Union of Tertiary Institutions of Kaduna State has suspended its planned indefinite planned strike over poor salary.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Joint Chairman of the unions, Mr. Noah Danlami and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Zaria on Saturday.

NAN recalls that the joint unions had on Nov. 21, issued a 21-day ultimatum to Kaduna State Government to address its demands or face an indefinite strike.

NAN also reports that the institutions included; Academic, Non-Academic as well as Senior Staff Associations in the state-owned tertiary institutions.

The institutions are Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria; College of Education, Gidan-Waya, Kafanchan; Shehu Idris College of Health and Science Technology, Makarfi and Kaduna State College of Nursing and Midwifery, Kafanchan.

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Danlami listed some demands of the joint union to include; implementation of the existing salary structure payable to tertiary institutions in the state, domestication of the 65 years retirement age and address critical cases of infrastructure deficiencies in the institutions.

He said the decision to suspend the planned industrial action was informed by the interest, commitment and passion shown by the Commissioner for Education, Dr Shehu Muhammad-Makarfi in resolving the issue at stake.

The Chairman said the commissioner had used his office to constructively mediate between the union and Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i on the issue.

“Our unions after an elaborate meeting with the Commissioner, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry and all Directors, hereby temporarily suspend the ultimatum.

“This is with a view to allowing the Commissioner more time to consult with government and other critical stakeholders in the state towards resolving the issues in contention.

“The decision is informed by the openness, humility, transparency, understanding, and interest shown by the Commissioner in the course of deliberations over the issues at the meeting,” he said.

The chairman said the temporary suspension was also to allow the government more time to look into the legitimate demands between now and Jan. 2020.

He assured that the union was positively disposed to dialogue with government and hence it would embark on strike only as a last resort.

According to him, the union still believes that the government will reciprocate the patience and understanding shown by the congress members in pursuing their demands over the last 10 years.

Danlami said the union would be compelled to embark on an indefinite and total strike should the Kaduna State Government fail to take advantage of the union’s positive disposition.

He appealed to well-meaning indigenes and residents of Kaduna State, who value education to intervene towards resolving the lingering problem. (NAN)