The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a four-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to conclude all ongoing negotiations in the tertiary education sector.
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NLC President, Mr. Joe Ajaero, announced this on Monday at an emergency news conference in Abuja, following an extensive meeting with unions representing universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
Ajaero said the decision followed years of unfulfilled agreements and chronic underfunding of the education sector, which have led to recurring strikes and instability in the nation’s tertiary institutions.
“We have decided to give the Federal Government four weeks to conclude all ongoing negotiations in the sector,” Ajaero stated.
He warned that failure to meet the deadline would compel the NLC to mobilise workers and unions nationwide for a mass industrial action.
“After four weeks, if no meaningful progress is made, the organs of the NLC will meet and take nationwide action involving all workers and all unions in the country,” he added.
Ajaero said the Congress had resolved to collaborate with education unions to find lasting solutions to the problems plaguing the sector.
He further disclosed that the NLC had established a framework for engagement to monitor the implementation of outstanding agreements and to promote sustainable funding of the education system.
“We are committed to ensuring that education in Nigeria receives adequate attention and sustainable funding in line with the minimum benchmark of 25 per cent budgetary allocation.
We call for the review of wage structures and allowances for academic and non-academic staff to reflect current economic realities,” he said.
The labour leader stressed that the welfare of workers in tertiary institutions was crucial to achieving quality education, adding that Nigeria could not expect world-class performance from workers being paid under obsolete wage structures.
Ajaero also criticised the government’s negotiation style, noting that officials often attended meetings without proper mandates to make binding commitments.
“It is unacceptable for officials to attend talks without the authority to make binding commitments. This practice has contributed to recurring crises in the sector,” he said.
He reaffirmed the NLC’s readiness to defend the rights of workers and warned that the era of signing and breaking agreements was over.
“We will not fold our arms while our education system suffers. If the government fails to act, we will mobilise all unions to demand justice and fairness,” Ajaero declared.
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