The 104 Federal Unity Colleges (FUCs) across the country have been shut down indefinitely by the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN).
This followed a nation-wide strike embarked upon by education officers in the Federal Ministry of Education and inspectorate departments including the Unity College. The workers are protesting the failure by the federal government to pay their outstanding salaries, promotion arrears, and other entitlements owed them for several years.
Secretary-General of the union, Alade Bashir Lawal, stated in a release that the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Education as well as the Inspectorate Departments of the ministry, throughout the country would also be under lock and key from Monday September 22, 2014.

‘’The issues in dispute include but not limited to non-payment of outstanding promotion arrears for 2007-2010 and the balance of 2011 promotion arrears; promotion arrears for 2012-2013; unpaid salaries to some staff for July, August, September, and October 2013; end-of-year incentives; non-payment of 1st 28 days in lieu of hotel accommodation; 2010 Head of service organised mandatory training allowance, repatriation allowance, duty tour allowance, non-placement of promoted officers, etc’’ the union emphasised.

It stated that the Federal Ministry of Education earlier admitted that N1.8 billion was released to it this year by the federal government to settle all outstanding liabilities, including salaries and allowanced, and wondered where the money was kept.
‘’On Wednesday August 20, 2014, the national leadership of the union met with the Permanent Secretary and other top officials of the ministry where the ministry gave its words that all the outstanding arrears of promotion would be paid on or before August 31, 2014. However, the leadership of the union gave the ministry an extension up to Friday September 12, 2014 to effect all the payment,’’ the statement explained.
It added that when it became apparent that the ministry had not commenced payment of promotion arrears and outstanding salaries as agreed with the union, the national leadership of the association wrote a letter including a reminder to the Federal Ministry of Education on what was agreed at the last meeting.

It added that the management of the federal ministry of education consequently fixed a meeting with the national leadership of the association for Wednesday September 17, 2014 by 12.00 p.m.

‘’On Wednesday September 17, 2010, when the national leadership of the union turned up for the meeting at the headquarters of the Ministry at the scheduled time, neither the minister, the permanent secretary nor any top official of the ministry was available for the parley,’’ the union added.

It recalled that all agreements entered into by the union with the management of the Federal Ministry of Education over the years to pay these outstanding salaries and allowances had always been breached with impunity by the ministry.
‘’Since the Management of the Federal Ministry of Education has refused to pay the outstanding salaries and allowances, the teeming members of the union in the ministry including those in the 104 Federal Unity Colleges have embarked on indefinite strike till the outstanding salaries, promotion arrears, and other entitlements are paid in full,’’ the union stressed.

It called on all strategic stakeholders such as royal fathers, religious leaders, civil society groups, parents and guardians, old students groups of the Federal Unity Colleges, eminent citizens, etc to prevail on the Federal Government to pay all the outstanding salaries and allowances including promotion arrears instead of diverting attention by calling on the union to call off the strike.

Senior Civil Servants’ Strike Cripples Unity Schools, Articles | THISDAY LIVE
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/senior-civil-servants-strike-cripples-unity-schools/189727/

Last week the Junior Minister of Education Mr. Nyesom WIKEd forcefully broke into a school in Ogoni Rivers State to commence renovation but here are Federal Government Colleges and Unity Schools that fall directly under his office as the Junior Minister embarking on indefinite strike.

Whenever This WIKEd man is incharge of any thing expect chaos to be the order of the day. Under his watch As Supervising Minister, Universities, polytechnics and COEs all shut down now he is in charge of primary and secondary see the result.

To add insult to injury this clown was just given a National Award by the Grand Comedian of the Federal Republic (GCFR) himself.

It stated that the Federal Ministry of Education earlier admitted that N1.8 billion was released to it this year by the federal government to settle all outstanding liabilities, including salaries and allowanced, and wondered where the money was kept.

And the clown wants to govern rivers state...

A government stumbling from one failure to another!! Little surprise here. It is their trademark.
If Jonathan is not failing, then, he's not working!!

barcanista:
And the clown wants to govern rivers state...

Rivers people should learn from Ekiti State
Chose between a Gentle Man or a Thug to govern them for 4 years