Workers shut down 3 Katsina tertiary schools

Workers of three tertiary institutions in Katsina State, North western Nigeria on Monday embarked on an indefinite strike to protest alleged failure of the state government to meet their demands.

The institutions are: Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, Isah Kaita College of Education, Dutsinma and Yusuf Bala Usman College of Legal and General Studies, Daura.

The Joint Consultative Forum (JCF) of the workers unions in a statement issued in Katsina said members of the Academic and the Non academic Staff Unions of the three institutions had joined the industrial action.

The statement was signed by Mallam Tukur Dahiru, Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic (ASUP) and five others.

The statement said: ‘’We hereby embark on an indefinite strike with effect from July 24, 2012, following the expiration of three-week ultimatum given to the government to meet our demands.”

It said the issues involved included the inability of the government to implement the 2012 annual increments to members and failure to remit the remaining 50 per cent of union dues for three months.

It said the government had also refused to release promotions of officers on Grade Levels 12 and above which had been pending since July, 2010.

“Students, parents and the general public should understand that the union has exhausted all the amicable ways available to sustain industrial peace in the institutions,” the union added.

The statement advised members to await further instructions from the union.