Strike: PERESSA Backs NLC Two-Day National Protest For ASUU

A trade union and affiliate of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Precision, Electrical and Related Equipment Senior Staff Association (PERESSA) has given tacit support to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) declaration of a two-day national protest on July 26th and 27th, 2022.

The union in a statement jointly signed by its National President, Comrade Olusola Rotimi and Comrade Rufus Olusesan, the Acting General Secretary urged the TUC and its affiliates to collaborate with the NLC to protest the shutdown of Nigeria’s public universities.

The union called on the organised labour unions and Nigerians to prevail on the Federal Government to meet the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other University unions to bring an end to the 5-month shutdown of the nation’s public universities.

The statement read in parts:

“Although PERESSA is an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), we are fully in solidarity with all University-based unions fighting for improved funding of public education and, therefore, support the planned action by the NLC.

“As far as we are concerned, the shutdown of public universities and disruption of the lives and an academic pursuit of students go beyond the concern of a section of workers alone.

“The struggle to save public education and the public university system is the struggle of the entirety of Nigerians working class and the oppressed masses.

“To this extent, we urge the TUC to collaborate with the NLC to jointly prosecute the two-day national protest.

“Should the TUC give the directive today, PERESSA is prepared to mobilize its members to join the action,” the statement added.

PERESSA condemned the antics of the Minister of Labour and Employment, saying his inaction   has greatly contributed

to the unfortunate prolongation of the strike.

The union commended President Muhammadu Buhari for ordering the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu to put an end to the lingering strike within two weeks.

However, the union expressed unhappiness that it took the President a whopping 5 months to wake up to his responsibility, saying it amounts to dereliction of duty.