Colleges of Education lecturers go on partial strike over salary increase demand

The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has directed its nationwide members to work only two days a week until their demand for a 200 per cent increase in salary is met by the Federal Government.

The decision was announced by COEASU's National President, Dr Smart Olugbeko, in a statement released on Wednesday.

The union's extraordinary meeting, held on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, concluded that members were facing significant difficulties in commuting to work due to the recent hike in petrol prices.

Dr Olugbeko pointed out that the removal of fuel subsidies by the government two months ago had led to a staggering 250 per cent increase in the price of petrol, significantly impacting the cost of transportation and essential commodities.

"This relentless surge in inflation has severely impoverished the Nigerian people, including our dedicated staff of colleges of education. Despite enduring untold hardships, our members maintained faith with the government, hoping that palliative measures would be implemented," stated Dr Olugbeko.

However, the hope was short-lived, as the price of petrol further escalated to a staggering ₦650 per litre, pushing COEASU members to their breaking point. With many lecturers unable to afford transportation costs, the union deemed it necessary to limit workdays to only two per week.

Dr Olugbeko emphasised that an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting would be convened to formalise the decision and determine the specific workdays for members. He urged the federal government to promptly address their demands, warning that the partial strike could have devastating effects on students' academic progress.