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By Emma Arubi

WARRI—DELTA State Polytechnics and Colleges of Education have resummed their suspended strike action, which has paralysed academic activies since Monday over the non-implementation of CONPCASS salary structure recommended by the state government’s inter- ministerial committee.

The coalition of the Academic Staff Unions of Polytechnics, ASUP, Ozoro and Otefe/Oghara and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, COEASU, Mosogar and Warri, Delta State, had last week threatened to embarked on a strike action over failure by the state government to implement the agreement.

“We will not accept anything short of CONPCASS in our pay slips of September 2010 and if by September 15, 2010 midnight, CONPCASS and its accruing arrears, CONTISS arrears and other issues are not addressed, the union will have no option than to resume the recently suspended strike action with effect from September 16, 2010,” the unions had said.

When Vanguard visited the institutions, all their gates were under lock and key while students were seen idling away except for College of Education, Agbor, where lecturers were allowed to conclude the ongoing second semester examinations for years one and three, after which they would joined in the strike.

It was learnt that the unions at an emergency meeting at Delta State Polytechnic, Oghara, weekend, resolved to resume the strike to compel the state government to meet their demands as contained in a letter dated July 20, this year.

According to them, “we frowned at the government for not meeting our demands as contained in a letter dated July 20, 2010 to the Commissioner for Higher Education.”

“Consequent upon the above, the unions hereby resume their suspended strike action. However, College of Education , Agbor is permitted to conclude its on going Year 1 and 3 Second Semester examinations, while other academic activities remain suspended”.

The communiqué was signed by Comrades R. Igbunu and C.E. Itedjere, Chairman and Secretary COEASU, Mosogar: Comrades D.J. Agbomah and D.E. Anuya, Chairman and Secretary, ASUP, Oghara; Comrades B. O. Sanubi and S. E. Azugbene, Chairman and Secretary, COEASU, Warri; Comrades O. Eboibi and L.Emakpor, Chairman and Secretary, ASUP, Ozoro; and Comrades Ihue Simon and F.C. Akpotohwo.

The union said in another letter to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan through the Commissioner for Higher Education that “arising from the inability of Delta State Government to meet the demands of the unions as contained in a communiqué issued on the 1st of September 2010, the unions are constrained to resume the recently suspended strike action until their demands are met”.

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