By Festus Ahon
UGHELLI—THE Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, Dr. Hope Eghagha, yesterday, disclosed that lecturers at the Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, College of Education Agbor and Warri have suspended their strike action.

He appealed to union leaders of the Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara, Ozoro and College of Physical Education, Mosogar, to toe the path of honour by also suspending their strike action.

Eghagha in a statement, said the state government was determined to implement the new salary scale reached between the Federal Government and the various national unions of tertiary institutions.

He said that the state government had inaugurated negotiation/harmonization committee to harmonize positions on the issue, he added that the committee has requested the Governing Councils of the various institutions in the state to work out the financial implication of implementing the agreements in the state.
Eghagha said, “the decision of the union leaders of our tertiary institution to call out their members on strike when government has taken all necessary steps to address their demands is unnecessary and uncalled for.”

According him, the state government was taking the normal procedure followed anytime a salary/wage package is brought before it by any sector of the public service of the state for adoption and observed that none of the 36 states has implemented the agreements.

He said the union leaders called out their members for strike just as negotiation was going on and urged them to resume work without further delay. While commending the union leaders of the Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi_Uku, College of Education Agbor and Warri for their understanding, he said the state government was ready for dialogue.