The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has issued the Bayelsa State Government a 48-hour ultimatum to meet the demands of higher institutions on strike in the state.
The ultimatum was issued during a press conference by the leadership of NANS Zone B, which held in Yenagoa, on Wednesday.
Comrade Kings Tamaraupreye, the Assistant Secretary General of the Zone, in his address, commended the Douye Diri-led administration for its commitment to educational advancement in the state.
“We commend the Bayelsa State Government for reducing average annual enrollment, completion on transition rates, teachers quality needs involving re-skilling and up-skilling, school infrastructure and environment upgradation.
“We particularly commend the government for partnering with Microsoft towards the training of 12,000 teachers on critical skills and about 90,000 Public Secondary Schools on e-learning capabilities,” he said.
The body however, frowned at the strike action embarked upon by the Bayelsa State Polytechnic, Aleibiri and the Bayelsa State College of Health Technology, Otiogidi, over non-compliance on the part of the government.
NANS said it gathered during its consultation with the striking schools that the state government had left so many agreements it entered with the institutions unfulfilled.
“It is saddening that the government owes staff of the affected schools 13 months of N18, 000 minimum wage.
“There was no promotional activity from 2015 to 2018 and, from 2019 till date, which is an act against the public sector laws.
“The government is also yet to implement the new N30,000 minimum wage as directed by the federal government, leaving the workers with no option than to undergo on a strike action,” he said.
Kings stated, that though the government had setup two different committees to oversee the implementation processes, nothing tangible has come forth.
“That the Bayelsa State Government has not deemed it fit to invite the affected schools since the commencement of the ongoing strike action on December 1,2022, is an ‘unholy’ practice.
“Is it that the government is not aware of the strike action, or it is unconcerned with the fact that Nigerian students are sitting at home when they ought to be learning?, he questioned.
NANS said it is aware the government may not be able to meet all demands of the striking lecturers following the large sum involved. Still, it called on the government to do all it can to allow the students return to school.
“We demand for the implementation of the two sets of minimum wage, as well as the commencement of promotion of qualified workers to their appropriate levels.
“The demand of NANS is for the Bayelsa State Government to resolve their outstanding issues with Higher Institutions Joint Action Committee (HIJACK) in the Next 48 Hours to call off the strike and return our members back to Campus.
“Failure to do so, Nigerian Students shall declare a strike on all Government activities in the state,” Kings stated.
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