Police Teargas Protesting ASUP Members, Students In Abuja

The Nigeria police yesterday fired tear gas canisters at protesting polytechnic lecturers who were engaged in a peaceful protest to force the Federal Government to have dialogue with them on their demands.
The lecturers and a few poly students gathered at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja to ask for reopening of Nigerian polytechnics whose lecturers had been on strike for over 10 months.
The protesting polytechnic lecturers first gathered  at the Eagle Square early yesterday morning  to protest the non-implementation of the agreement made by both the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) and the Federal Government and later marched down to the Ministry of Education where Minister of Labour, Emeka Wogu addressed the protesters, and promised that their grievances would be addressed. The minister then  appealed for patience and understanding from the lecturers.
However, dissatisfied with the promise, the peaceful rally later headed toward the National Assembly complex where a protest letter was to be submitted to both the Senate and House of Representatives leadership.
But armed policemen fired tear gas canisters at the protesters before they got the National Assembly, and used hot water hoses to disperse the crowd.
The protesters vowed not to leave until they submit their protest letter to the leaders of National Assembly.
The polytechnic lecturers have been on strike since last year without any sign the Federal Government will meet their demands.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government is committed to resolving the face-off between it and two academic trade unions in tertiary institutions, labour and productivity minister, Emeka Wogu, has said.
Wogu gave the assurance yesterday in Abuja in an address to protesting members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU).
Addressing the protesters, Wogu said that Federal Government had been working hard to resolve the crises in the sector.
“We are almost there, and I want to commend you for your patience and perseverance. I also want to assure you that government has not been asleep for the past few months.
“I want to reassure you that the current government under the leadership of our president has directed me to come and speak with you and tell you the truth that we are almost there.
“Immediately we finish from here, I will go with your leaders back to my office to pass the information and also for us to conclude this thing. ’’ Wogu said.
Addressing journalists, the COEASU President, Mr Asagha Nkoro, said the protest was due to the federal government’s insensitivity to the core challenges threatening teaching and learning in the education sector.
He said that ASUP and COEASU had been on strike for the past 10 months due government’s failure to meet their demands.
“The demand is that government has refused to release a White Paper of the visitation panel which they claimed to be in the Presidency for several months now.
“The Federal Government has refused to implement CONTISS 15 migration that was approved since 2009, and also to pay the arrears.
“They have also refused to conduct accreditation of the National Colleges of Education (NCE) programmes in the sector since 2010 and among others.
In his contribution, Mr Chibuzo Asomugha, President of ASUP, said the future of polytechnics and colleges of education was at stake.
He said it was important for government to show some level of understanding in order for Nigerian children to get the best in education.
Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr Jude Imagwe, called on the striking lecturers to be patience, and commended them for showing some level of maturity.
“I know you have been provoked, but do not create a situation where people would say negative things about the peaceful protest that you people have carried out.
Speaking on behalf of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Assistant Secretary/Industrial Relation Officer,  Mr Nuhu Toro, said the organised labour had pledged to support for the striking lecturers.
He said it was important for government to resolve the contending issues and end the suffering of students.
“We support you; we will stand by you until the rightful thing is done. So we urge you all to be peaceful.
Polytechnic lecturers have been on strike since October over demands that the federal government should remove the dichotomy between HND and degree graduates.
Others demands include the release of the White Paper on the needs assessment of polytechnics, review of the Polytechnic Act by the National Assembly, and improvement on condition of service and infrastructure in schools.
The federal government has met two of the demands, including the inauguration of governing councils and setting up of the needs assessment committees.

Sen. Magnus Abe with a little baby (right), his wife Bariyaah (centre) and Chairman, Khana LGA, Gregory Nwidam during the presentation of wrappers to 1,900 women in Bori, recently.