…action politically motivated- govt
Students of
the Bayelsa State-owned Niger Delta University (NDU), on Thursday, took to the
streets of Yenagoa, the state capital, to protest the closure of their school
following an industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities
(ASUU).
ASUU and other categories of workers in the
university kicked off an industrial action in April demanding their backlog of
unpaid salaries.
The students were, however, angry over prolonged
negotiations to end the industrial dispute between the workers and the state
government.
The protesters disrupted vehicular movements and
business activities in the capital city as they marched the Mbiama-Yenagoa road
from Tombia roundabout to the Government House.
Their presence caused tension among residents, but
the atmosphere was calmed by a retinue of security operatives who monitored the
protest.
The students marched the roads chanting solidarity
songs and displaying placards with various inscriptions such as “Bring back
NDU", “We are tired of staying at home”, “Save NDU", “We want to go
back to school”, “ASUU, agree with government, government agree with ASUU,”.
Attempts by some suspected hoodlums to hijack the
peaceful protest was, however, prevented by scores of armed security men, who
monitored the event.
Some officials of the state government accused a
human right activist, Ebiserikumo Jason Gbassa, who led the protesting students
of allegedly playing the script of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
One of the protesters, a 300-level engineering
student, Mr. Omiela Dumotonye, said the protest was peaceful and not sponsored
as alleged in some quarters.
"What the students want is for the state
government and ASUU to return to the negotiation table and ensure that issues
of salary payment are resolved. We are not harming anybody", he said.
Another speaker, a 300 level student of Philosophy,
Mr. Dee Mitin, added: The protest is not a civil servant matter. It is a wakeup
call for the state government and ASUU to return to the dialogue table and
resolve their differences. They should come to an agreement within seven
days".
Mitin threatened that the students community in NDU
resolved to embark on a mega rally and shut down the state if the issues were
not resolved within the period.
Addressing the students, the Secretary to the State
Government (SSG), Chief Serena Dokubo-Spiff, blamed the closure of the school
on ASUU.
He said ASUU refused to honour its part of the
agreement it reached with the state government.
Spiff said:
“I feel your pains you need not suffer what you are suffering but it is
because ASUU has refused to sit down to
sit down with the state government talk.
He said: “ASUU gave government many conditions and
promised to resume work when the conditions are met and after government had
met the conditions, ASUU came back again with more conditions and the
government asked them to resumed work first as promised of which they have
refused.
“ASUU has been disappointedly uncooperative with
government and using the students a as pawns, they have connived with
politicians to portray the government in bad light".
He appealed to ASUU to see reasons with the state
government and call off the strike.
Speaking on the matter, the state Commissioner for
Information and Orientation, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite, accused the opposition of
instigating the protest to cause insecurity and a breakdown of law and order in
the state.
He said:
“Politicians are behind the protest. One Gbasa and a self-acclaimed
alumnus of the school, who we know as an APC stalwart, was part of the protest
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