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The incessant strikes in the critical sectors of the state’s economy should, as a matter of necessity, raise urgent concern, if the state is to make any appreciable impact in its quest for development.
It is more worrisome that the State Government under the watch of Bello has found it extremely difficult to effectively address the root causes of strikes by various workers’ unions.
Without underscoring the level of losses incurred during such strikes, the government has in its characteristic manner continued to show defiant attitude towards workers’ strikes. Despite the workers’ agitations for enhanced working condition and better remuneration, the government’s nonchalant attitude to implement agreements reached with the unions at separate levels to keep the system going, has remained the bane of the system.
The Kogi State University was recently shut down following the strike embarked upon by ASUU over welfares. Alfa Tijani writes on the effect on the already worn-out education sector .
Industrial action in the academia has never been favourable to undergraduates, admission seekers and even the people who survive through the economy on campus. The area of disagreement waiting for redress between the union and government include payment of fraction of staff entitlement and the denial of staff entitlement in respect of earned academic allowance .
Infact, whenever there is a disagreement between ASUU and the Government, the students are always at the receiving end.
The prolonged strikes in most cases often snowball into the undergraduates spending extra semesters or additional years on campus, depending on the duration of the industrial actions.
Admission seekers :
This is even as the admission seekers would have to wait until final students on campus graduate before gaining admission, as there would be apparently no space for them. It means that if the undergraduates spend additional two years, those seeking University education will have to wait for the same two years to gain admission.
Low Patronage :
Moreover, those who bear the consequences of ASUU strikes are not limited to undergraduates and admission seekers, but the people who earn their living by doing business on campus would also be affected, as the students who would have patronized them will be at home. This category of people include shuttle drivers, food sellers, business centre operators, banks, photographers and a host of others.
Age Limitation Of Job Seekers :
Also, the chances of some overage students getting jobs after graduation may be slim, as additional one or two years to their age could be an obstacle to their chances of paid jobs after graduation. Come to think of this, somebody who would have graduated at twenty-seven, but now graduating at twenty-nine, with one year compulsory NYSC, may not find funny.
Apparently, looking at the issue, even the labour market will be missing some good hands who, due to prolonged strikes have exceeded the required working years for a beginner.
Reacting to the effects of a prolonged strike on students, Alfa Tijani, a Kogi – based creative writer from Federal Polytechnic Idah, urged ASUU and the Government to put the students into consideration in all their decisions, adding, “We also have our lives to live as students. A prolonged strike kills our passions for study, and extra year or years to our stay in school will further compound issues for student on campus “.
Pitiably, if it is not the medical doctors or other health workers today, or the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), or its other subsidiary unions, it will be the turn of ASUU or its polytechnic counterpart, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), and or the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) tomorrow. But, in the unfortunate scenario, the education sector has been the worst hit in this government’s shenanigans.
It is, however, sad that this socio-economic madness perverting the institutions, has become like a festering sore, which over the years has continued without no concrete cure or right medication to stagnate the polity.
Expectedly, the failure of the state governments to meet the workers’ demands will continually throw the system into rounds of darkness, as the government and workers failed to reach a compromise and fashion out some workable solutions to this crisis.
It is lamentable that Kogi State has continued to witness one prolonged strike or job boycott after the other, without any end at sight.
– Alfa Tijani, an advocate for good governance, hails from Igalamela/Odolu LGA Of Kogi State.
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