COEASU Directs Lecturers to Work Twice Weekly Amid Subsidy Removal Hardship”
In response to the hardship caused by the removal of petrol subsidy, the College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has instructed its members to go to work only twice a week. The union also warned that if the current situation is not urgently addressed, it could lead to a prolonged academic calendar and negatively affect both parents and students.
COEASU is demanding a 200 per cent salary increase and believes that the recent hike in petrol prices has made it difficult for its members to afford daily commuting to work. The decision to reduce working days was reached during an extraordinary meeting held on July 18, 2023.
The statement by COEASU’s National President, Dr. Smart Olugbeko, emphasized the challenges faced by workers, including staff at Colleges of Education, due to the increased cost of transportation and essential commodities caused by the fuel subsidy removal. Despite enduring the hardships with the expectation of palliative measures, the union expressed disappointment as the price of petrol further rose to N650 per litre.
The union called attention to the stagnant salary structure, which has remained unchanged since 2010, while the petrol price increased tenfold from N65/N70 in 2010 to N650 in 2023. They stressed the need for the government to address these issues urgently and convene an emergency meeting to decide on specific working days for its members until their demands for salary increase are met.
