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Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
The Anambra State House of Assembly has pledged to intervene in the plight of the non-teaching staff of state owned Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), where no fewer than 10 retirees have died awaiting payment of their pensions.
The House promised to intervene in the matter when university workers who are members of National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), under the Joint Action Committee of Trade Unions (JAC), visited the Assembly complex on as part of a protest action.
The non-teaching staff had in their Bulletin No.2 claimed that the university owed them over N4.6 billion and gave the school authorities August 14 deadline to meet their demands or face an indefinite industrial action by the staff.
Addressing the representative of the Speaker and the Chairman, House Committee on Public Petitions, Hon. Emeka Aforka, and other members present, the JAC leader said, “Some of our members have died while waiting for payment of their pension. About 10 of them that we know of have died. On a daily basis, you see our retired members who come to the university gate to beg for money, and we feel pained about their plight.
“It is for these reasons that we decided to come here and tell you people. We have been very lenient with the school management, but we are already fed up. They keep telling us to exercise patience, but this has been on for a long time without any hope.”
But while addressing them before they took their protest to the Government House, Hon Aforka, who represents Orumba South constituency, expressed the House’s unhappiness with the plight of the university workers.
“We feel your pain, and we are happy that as enlightened people from the state’s citadel of learning you decided on a peaceful protest, and that is very much appreciated,” he said.
“The Speaker of the State Assembly, Hon Uche Okafor, is unavoidably absent, but he has sent me to represent him and hear from you. We shall ensure that we do the needful by bringing this to the notice of the state governor.
“To assure you of our concern, you will hear from us very soon over this, but we urge you to remain law abiding.”
The placard carrying protesting workers visited the Government House where they were heard by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, who appealed to them to exercise patience as government looks into their matter.
