Lagos – The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced plans to commence a two-day nationwide protest on Tuesday, July 26, in solidarity with the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Recall that a group, Education Rights Campaign (ERC), had recently derided the incessant threats and inaction by the leadership of the NLC to embark on a solidarity action with striking university workers’ unions.
NLC explained that the planned protest is aimed at pressurising the Federal Government to conclude negotiations with striking university unions and ensure that public universities resume for normal activities, among others.
This is contained in a circular issued by the NLC to all the state chairmen and signed by its National President, Ayuba Wabba, and the General Secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja.
The circular read, “We bring you fraternal greetings from the national secretariat of the NLC.
“In line with the decisions of the National Executive Council meeting of the NLC held on June 30, 2022, we have scheduled as follows the national days of protest to get our children back to school and support our unions in Nigeria’s public universities fighting for quality education.”
According to the circular, the protest would be held on “Tuesday, July 26, 2022, and Wednesday, July 27, 2022, in all the states of the federation and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.”
The circular added, “Takeoff point is the NLC state secretariats and the Labour House, Abuja.
You are requested to immediately convene the meetings of your SAC to disseminate this information and to fully mobilise workers in the states for this very important protest for good governance.”
Recall that ASUU had on February 14, 2022, embarked on a four-week total and comprehensive strike to press home their unresolved demands on the Federal Government and the strike on May 9 by another 12 weeks to give the government enough time to satisfactorily resolve all the outstanding issues.
To date, the Federal Government has failed make pronouncement on the renegotiation reached between ASUU and the Professor Nimi Briggsled committee.
