FG Gets Ultimatum Over Non-Implementation Of Agreement

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 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 November 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 as an 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.