Lecturers of the Ebonyi State College of Education, Ikwo on Tuesday joined the ongoing nationwide strike embarked on by the College of Education Academic Staff Union.
The COEASU Chairman, Ikwo chapter, Mr Greg Esheye, in a press release made available to journalists in Abakaliki, said the chapter decided to join the ongoing national strike after and emergency congress of the union.
According to the statement, the decision was in compliance with the directive of the national secretariat of the union.
The statement read, “Our decision to join was after an emergency congress of the union on Monday, Feb. 3.
“It is on record that the union in Ikwo has restrained itself from joining the ongoing nationwide indefinite strike that started since Jan 1.
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“We have watched with dismay the Federal Government’s lack of commitment in addressing issues that gave rise to the ongoing strike.
“Since injustice to one is injustice to many, we have decided to identify with the ongoing struggle for a better teacher education in the country.
“Consequently, the lecturers at the Ebonyi State College of Education, Ikwo, at an emergency congress of the union resolved to join in the nationwide strike.
“We shall so remain in the struggle until government does the needful by addressing all contentious issues that gave rise to the nationwide strike.”
The statement called on the state government to expedite action in resolving the grievances that led to the declaration of a seven-day warning strike by the local chapter.
The lecturers accused the government of failure to constitute the institution’s governing council, non-payment of pension and gratuity to retired workers, and high taxes imposed on them.
It noted that issue of increasing the retirement age to 65 years was also in contention.
The National President of COEASU, Mr Emmanuel Nkoro, on Dec. 18, 2013, directed its members across the country to proceed on the indefinite strike.
The strike, he said was necessitated by the government’s failure to implement the agreement it reached with the union in 2010.
