The College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has issued fresh threats of a possibility of strike, should the Federal Government fail to meet its existing demands.

A statement by Smart Olugbeko, National President of COEASU, noted that a referendum conducted across Chapters of the union voted in favour that an ultimatum be first issued to the government before an industrial action may become necessary. 

The ultimatum takes effect from Monday 9th May 2022.

Olugbeko stated, "After extensive deliberations on the outcome of referendum conducted across Chapters of the Union, NEC resolved to issue Government a 21-day ultimatum beginning Monday 9th May, 2022. NEC further resolved that in the unexpected event that Government fails to do the needful within the period of the ultimatum, the Union shall declare appropriate industrial action.

"NEC call on well-meaning Nigerians and stakeholders in the tertiary education sector to prevail on Government to urgently take appropriate actions before this ultimatum lapses"

Among the grievances of COEASU against the government is alleged dilly-dallying posture of government to renegotiation of COEASU-FGN 2010 agreement,  non-release of pledged N15b revitalization fund, poor funding of Colleges of Education and poor conditions across State-owned COEs and FG’s recalcitrant insistence on IPPIS against more reliable alternative of UTAS.

The COEASU NEC observed with consternation that the FG has been ridiculously unfair to the Union by taking the understanding shown over time for granted and leaving issues unaddressed in spite of the Union’s entreaties. 

He lamented, "While the long anticipated renegotiation of COEASU-FGN 2010 Agreement holds enormous promise for mutual resolution of several challenges bedevilling the COE system, the FG has failed to accord the exercise deserved priority. Ridiculously, the FG has refused to constitute her own renegotiation team after acknowledging receipt of our Union’s team list on her own request for over two months now". 

On alleged non-release of pledged N15b revitalization fund, the union said Government has refused to accede to our demand for the fulfilment of her own pledge of N15b revitalization fund. 

He said apart from being a far cry from N478b being the outcome of the 2014 Presidential Needs Assessment across public COEs, the delay in its release has made nonsense of the value due to inflation. More ludicrously, media reports quoted the Honourable Minister for Education as having said, on various public occasions, that the revitalization fund had been released by the FG, whereas what we received was a call to propose modalities for the disbursement. The frustrating wait for the disbursement of this fund has continued ever thereafter. 

"In spite of our agitations and Government’s persistent promise of redress, both Federal and State COEs remain poorly funded; reign of impunity, statutory breach and administrative aberration persists; our members, especially in State COEs, continue to suffer untold hardships through non-payment of salary and salary arrears, refusal to implement the statutory salary structure in full, extraneous promotion criteria, idiosyncratic policies, non/improper domestication of 65-year retirement age for workers in the COE system, multiple promotions without financial effects, repression of Union activities, to mention just a few. 

"Many Colleges find it difficult to run smoothly due to non-release of running cost by Government. Many State Governments have abdicated their responsibility as proprietors to TETFund, as the only projects you see in the Colleges are TETFund projects".