The lingering unresolved welfare issues between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the last five months have taken a new twist as the aviation unions have concluded plans to join in the solidarity protest embarked on by the labour unions.
To join in the protest slated for July 26 and 27th, 2022, the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has declared plans to join other unions to force the government to meet the demands of the university lecturers.
A statement issued by NAAPE, through its deputy general secretary, Comrade Umoh Ofonime declared: “We have observed with regrets how the Federal Government of Nigeria is treating the crises in the educational sector of the country whereby due to strikes, teaming Nigerian students have remained at home for over four (4) months.
“The refusal of the Federal Government to honour the agreement signed with the union in 2009 is very disturbing considering the negative impact the prolonged strike will create in the life of these children.
“NAAPE, therefore, completely support the position of the National Executive Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to embark on a nationwide protest on July 26 and 27, 2022 in solidarity with the trade unions in the Nigeria Public Universities and others.
“By this, the National Administrative Council have directed all branch chairmen/secretaries are requested to disseminate this information to all the members in their various branches to participate in the solidarity protest in their various states as follows:
Date: Tuesday 26, July 2022 and Wednesday 27, July 2022.
Venue: All the states’ capital of the federation and Abuja, the federal capital.
Take off Point: NLC State Secretariats and the Labour House, Abuja.”
Earlier, a sister Union in the sector, the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) had also called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency and in the interest of the nation end the lingering strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)
ANAP through its General Secretary, Comrade Abdulrasaq Saidu called on President Muhammadu Buhari-led government to end without further delay the ongoing strike before it gets out of hand.
The union while warning that their members will align with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)’s position on protest against the unfortunate situation in the tertiary education sector, said all members had been put on alert in solidarity actions on the directive of Nigeria Labour Congress at very short notice.
Aviation join solidarity protest…