Academic activities at the Michael Otedola College of Primary Education (MOCOPED), Noforija, Epe, remained paralysed as the lecturers continued their indefinite strike on Wednesday.

Mr Michael Adefuye, ‎Chairman of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), MOCOPED Chapter, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the lecturers were fully complying with the directive.

‎‎Adefuye said the union's monitoring teams were on ground to ensure full compliance with the strike and that members were responding as directed.

“The lecturers are fully observing the strike because they are fighting ‎for their right and want their pension paid.

“Since strike is the only language the college authority understands, the lecturers are dedicated to it so that their demands can be met.”

Adefuye said the union had met the college authorities and the Governing Council on May 6‎ to end the strike but that union members were not satisfied with the outcome of the meeting.

The chairman said the authorities spoke positively but was not ready for ‎an immediate financial commitment of paying 75 per cent of the debts owed as demanded by the union.

“The governing council pleaded with us to trust them and suspend the strike.

“The council assured that the commitment will be met at the end of the month when the college receives new subvention.”

According ‎to Adefuye, the union congress met on May 9 and deliberated on the position of the college authorities towards ending the strike.

He said the congress concluded that the strike should continue until the financial commitment was made because the authorities could not be trusted.

“The authorities had claimed that they were already borrowing money to pay our salary because the present subvention was ‎not enough, claiming to be in debt.

“So, there‎ is no assurance that we will be paid if we agree till end of the month.”

NAN reports that the lecturers had on April18 declared an indefinite strike and embarked on a peaceful protest. ‎

‎The union leaders said the strike was declared because their demands were not met by the college.

Some of their demands included payment of 42 months non-remitted pensions to the Pension Fund Administrator ‎after the State Government increased the subvention in 2013.

‎It also accused the authorities of collapsing the degree programmes with Ekiti State University.

They contended that other affiliates – Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education and Federal College of Education, Akoka, were still running the programme. (NAN)

•Photo shows Governor Ambode.

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