Benue State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress on Tuesday joined their counterparts across the country in solidarity protest of the strike embarked on by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
Members of the labour union had as early as 7:00 gathered at the union secretariat located along Otukpo where they began a peaceful protest against the seat of government.
This is as public institutions such as the capital city aside from primary and post-primary schools shut their doors to business activities
The State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, Godwin Anya said that the two-day protest was part of activities lined up to compel the federal government to meet the agreement it entered into with ASUU.
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State who received the protesting workers called on the federal government to honour its agreement with ASUU.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Tony Ijohor SAN, the governor asked the federal government to borrow a leave from his state which is paying the state ASUU members their salary despite the sympathy strike.
“I wish to commend the NLC for embarking on the solidarity protest. For over five months our children have been home and since the federal government is not doing anything about it, Benue State Government is fully in support of your action and we will communicate to Federal Government.
“As far as we are concerned, this strike is uncalled for, is too much you entered into an agreement with somebody go and honour the agreement if they (FG) have an issue, please discuss it among them.
“We can’t have a situation whereby we lock up our Universities for going to six months now, this is unacceptable.
“Let me call the Federal government that this issue of no work no pay should be revisited it doesn’t make sense. This ASUU strike is not about the salary they have so many issues. So go and address the issues.
“We are different from the federal government because despite the fact that our state varsity is on sympathy strike we are still paying them. Let FG borrow from Benue State, you can not just stop their salary,” Ortom said.
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