Striking workers of the 67 research institutions spread across several Ministries in the country are set for a mass protest in Abuja to demand the N9 billion in arrears owed them by the government since year 2010.
Some of the workers made up of members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI) and the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI) have been on strike for about 11 weeks to press for the implementation of their agreement with the government.
Chairman of the Joint Research and Allied Institutions Staff Union (JORAISU), and Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Peters Adeyemi said even though the government has acknowledged the legitimacy of the ongoing strike action, they have refused to address the issue on hand.
Adeyemi said tNational leadership of JORAISU has so far held thirty-three (33) meetings with the Federal Government and one with the House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, Colleges and Institutions between year 2010 and year 2018 and issued 155 days ultimatum to Government on the matter including the last issued on 30th October, 2017 for which all the Research and Allied Institutions commenced an ongoing strike action on 14th November, 2017.
According to Adeyemi, for eight years, 33 meetings were all geared towards getting the Federal Government to act positively on their demands and expressed shock and disbelief that the Federal Government can remain unconcerned and be so incentive to a situation where all the Research and Allied Institutions in Nigeria have been totally and completely grounded for about 2 months and 22 days without addressing the situation.
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