Kogi tertiary institutions workers suspend 5-month-old strike

Academic and non-academic staff in five Kogi State government-owned tertiary institutions have suspended their five-month-old strike.

The institutions are the Kogi State University, Ayingba; Kogi Polytechnic, Lokoja; College of Education, Ankpa; College of Education (Technical), Kabba; and College of Nursing, Obangede.

Moses Balogun, Chairman, Joint Action Committee of the tertiary institutions, who announced this on Wednesday in Lokoja, after a meeting with officials of the state government, said the strike would be suspended “for four weeks”.

He directed the workers to resume work on Thursday, June 22.

“The workers decided to suspend the strike in the interest of the students and out of respect for the members of the governing councils of the tertiary institutions.

“The suspension is to allow government to pay arrears of workers salaries and implement tax relief packages approved by government since 2014,” Mr. Balogun said.

While sympathising with students over the impact of the strike, Mr. Balogun appealed to government to meet the workers’ demands to prevent them from resuming the strike.

The workers have been on strike since Jan. 31.

Among the workers demands are the implementation of 65 years retirement age for non-academic staff, complete investigation into certificate status of some staff and payment of salaries.

The Commissioner for Education, Sunday Tolorunleke, in a reaction, thanked the workers for suspending the strike and promised that government would fulfill its side of the agreement “within the next four weeks”.

( NAN)