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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Medical and Health Workers Union Of Nigeria (MHWUN) has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike if the Federal Government continues foot dragging on resolving issues with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other university-based unions.
In a statement by its National President, Biobelemoye Josiah, and acting Secretary General, Auwalu Kiyawa, the union condemned government’s actions and response to the protracted strike, describing it as a huge national embarrassment. The medical workers said no responsible government would close down its public tertiary institutions in the 21st century because of patriotic demands for a better funding of its universities and good welfare for its teaching and non-teaching staff.
“MHWUN leadership has followed with a keen interest the ongoing industrial impasse in the country’s public tertiary institutions, which had led to their closure since February 14, 2022 and the lethargic response of government in addressing the problem.
“It is equally disheartening to note that since the unfortunate strike started, government actions and response to such a huge national embarrassment had been more of ‘motion without movement’.
“If anything, government response has not gone beyond the watery statement of ‘we are meeting with the unions…’ or the usual out-dated tactics of blackmailing union leaders as in similar situation. We condemn, in strong terms, the lethargic attitude of government in resolving the issues in contention.
“In order to protect the future of our youths whose academic life is being disrupted, we call on the government to implement, without further delay, all the agreements it had entered with the unions. We urge the relevant ministries, departments and agencies to ensure President Mohammadu Buhari’s earlier directive to resolve all outstanding issues with the unions is backed by immediate acceptable action that would end the stalemate.
“MHWUN wishes to use this medium to unequivocally state that we firmly stand by the university-based unions and the clear position of Nigeria Labour Congress leadership in this historic struggle.
“Our state councils have been put on a red alert as we will not hesitate to declare a solidarity strike in support ofthe unions if government fails to resolve the issue within a reasonable time,” The statement read in parts,” the statement said.
The union decried that instead of addressing the lecturers demands, the Federal Government and political actors were channeling resources to fund political ambitions.
“MHWUN leadership is particularly irked that the Federal Government and the political actors have abandoned the children of the poor at home to waste away, instead they are seen dissipating energy and resources that could have been used to resolve the issue to fund political tussle to occupy plum offices that previous occupiers have failed to use for the benefit of the masses.
“We are more worried with the development because the academic future of the citizenry is being disrupted whereas the politicians and top government officials have their children mostly in well funded and equipped oversea schools or in relatively expensive private schools in Nigeria.
“Discerning minds will agree with us that the negative impact of the strike to the future of our children and Nigeria in general cannot be quantified. We call on people of goodwill to stand up in defence of the right and future of our children and Nigeria, by demanding that government do the right thing and bring back these children to the classroom.”
ASUU, Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) have been on strike for more than five months due to the apparent failure of government to sign the re-negotiated 2009 agreement with ASUU, failure to honour the terms reached at the May 2021 memorandum of understanding signed with ASUU, and habitual failure of government to respect collective bargaining agreements willingly signed with unions.
Also, in contention is refusal of government to adopt the home-grown innovative solutions provided by the unions in the payment of university workers’ salaries.
The medical workers also condemned the growing insecurity situation of the country as well as the energy crises in the nation, and called on the government to take necessary actions to address the problems.
“The rising orgies of killing, banditry, kidnapping for ransom, and extreme agitation for secession have assumed a dangerous dimension.
“Hardly any day passes by without reports of security challenges in some parts of the country. Human lives have become so cheap and without value. Nigerian workers are no longer safe both at their homes and at work places, as many have lost their lives to these enemies of state.
“We equally condemn the current scarcity of diesel, cooking gas, petrol and aviation fuel, and the rising wave of arbitrary prices all over the country. We, therefore, demand a resolute action from government to end this degrading assault on the sovereignty of our nation,” MHWUN said.
