Attah Ede Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has urged the Federal Government to honour the agreement it voluntarily reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU for the union to call of its strike.
Governor Ortom made the appeal on Tuesday, while addressing members of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC Benue State Chapter who have embarked on a two-day sympathy protest in support of ASUU.
The Governor who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Anthony Ijohor said it was the inability of the Federal Government to resolve her issues with ASUU that resulted in students staying at home for more than five months.
The Governor said the Benue State Government was in full support of the sympathy protest by the NLC as well as other actions it intends to embark upon and promised to take their grievances to appropriate quarters.
Governor Ortom also called on the Federal Government to revisit its “no work no pay” policy to armtwist ASUU into submission, saying the honourable thing to do was for the Government to address all the issues raised by the union.
The Governor disclosed that his Government would sit with the Joint Action Committee of NASU AND SSANU of the Benue State University within the shortest possible time with a view to negotiating and solving their issues.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Benue, Comrade Godwin Anya said the union has decided to take over the issue between ASUU and the Federal Government because of the insensitivity on the part of the Federal Government.
Comrade Anya who read a letter from the National President of the union demanded immediate payment of withheld salaries owed members of ASUU, accept the proposed payment system by ASUU as well as settle all other issues raised by the union.
