Lecturers in the nation’s Polytechnics and Colleges of Education on Tuesday protested against the insensitivity of the Federal Government towards addressing their demands.
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) led their members and some students to stage a protest at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja.
Unfortunately, the protesting lecturers could not accomplish their mission as they were prevented from entering the National Assembly Complex to present a formal protest letter to Senate President David Mark and Speaker Aminu Tambuwal.
The officers and men of the FCT Police Command fired tear gas canisters to disperse the lecturers and students.
Earlier, the protesters who displayed placards with various inscriptions like: ‘Spend money on tertiary institutions’, ‘Give priority to teachers’ education in Nigeria’, ‘Wike must go’, had been addressed by the Minister of Labour, Emeka Wogu.
The Minister assured the lecturers that government would soon resolve the issues at stake.
He said, “We are almost there and I want to commend you for your patience and perseverance.
“I also want to assure you that government has not been asleep for the past few months.
“I want to reassure you that the current government under the leadership of our President has directed me to come and speak with you and tell you the truth that we are almost there.
“Immediately we finish from here, I will go with your leaders back to my office to pass the information and also for us to conclude this thing.”
The COEASU President, Asagha Nkoro, while addressing the protesters deplored the insensitivity of teh government towards resolving the contentious issues.
Nkoro said, “The demand is that government has refused to release a White Paper of the visitation panel, which they claimed to be in the Presidency for several months now.
“The Federal Government has refused to implement CONTISS 15 migration that was approved since 2009 and also to pay the arrears.
“They have also refused to conduct accreditation of the National Colleges of Education
Prompt News recalls that ASUP members have been on strike in the last 10 months while their Colleges of Education counterparts joined four months ago.
