By James Ogunnaike

ABEOKUTA – The southwest zone of the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has berated the federal government’s neglect of laboratories, workshops, and studios workers in Nigerian public Universities.

The zonal Union, which made the disclosure while addressing newsmen after its meeting held at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, appealed to the federal government to take urgent steps in repositioning
laboratories, workshops, and studios in public universities to meet up with the realities on the ground.

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Speaking on behalf of the union, the Zonal Coordinator, Comrade Olurinde Oluremi Joseph, said, “We are compelled as the Zonal Executives members of National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) in the South West States of Nigeria to alert the public on the imminent drifts of the Nigeria tertiary educational system most especially the University system into a state of total collapse”.

“The Zonal Executive members of the Union met to appraise the level of commitment of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) to various MoAs and MoUs signed with the union towards ensuring that all the issues involved in FGN/NAAT 2009 Agreement are fully implemented and laid to rest”.

“The South West ZEC members noted with dismay the federal government continued insensitivity to the genuine demands and agitations of members of NAAT over many burning issues in the area of repositioning of the laboratories, workshops, and studios in Nigerian public Universities to meet up with the realities on the ground. A situation we are still using laboratories built during Pa Awolowo era with a capacity of 30 to 40 students to conduct practical sessions for over 300 students at a go, this is uncalled for. Despite all these, the government still neglect the welfare of our members which can no longer be tolerated”.

The union is being compelled by the government through its activities and dispositions to embark on what may
turn out to become total and indefinite industrial action”, Olurinde stated.

Parts of the demands of the union include; “nonrelease of adequate laboratories/workshops and studios rehabilitation funds; failure on the part of the federal government to fully implement 2009 FGN/NAAT Agreement, non-payment of Earned allowances to our members- specifically as agreed in the MOU of 2021, that
subsequent release of EA to Academic Technologists shall be separated from others and shall be based on template generated from the signed agreement of each Union with Government and not the number of persons in each Union or personnel cost and delay in Renegotiation of FGN/NAAT 2009 Agreement”.

Others include; non-payment of arrears of National Minimum Wage to Academic Technologists in federal tertiary institutions; the refusal of the government to release the enabling circular for the implementation of CONTISS 14 and 15
for Academic Technologists as contained in the Mou of 2017, 2020 and 2021; total neglect in the area of training and re-training of Academic Technologists/Scientists and non-provision
of intervention funds for the Professional Equipment procurements; the dearth of competent and licensed professionals Technologists and Scientists and the lukewarm attitude of the FGN to introduce succession plans at recruiting and employing Scientists and Technologists to replace the few and retiring ones in most Universities; poor funding of State Universities; urgent need to halt or arrest brain drain due to poor remuneration and deplorable working conditions, as well as the federal government’s inability to constitute and inaugurate the Governing Councils of all Federal deplorable Federal Universities of Agriculture in the Country.

“It is worthy of note that after more than twelve years of signing the agreement with NAAT, many components of the
agreement are either not implemented or partly implemented”.

“Also, non-conclusion of the ongoing renegotiation of FGN/NAAT 2009 agreement that has been on-going for more than two years smacks insensitivity and provocations on the part of the government as it has concluded negotiations with sister union”.

NAAT also condemned the conversion of
Laboratories, workshops, and studios into classrooms in most of the public Universities

“The current trends of converting Laboratories, workshops, and studios into classrooms in most of the public Universities is also condemned by members of NAAT. This is a red light alert to University Technological
prevented. NAAT, therefore, calls on Government and all critical stakeholders to as a matter of urgency put a halt to the menace because Laboratories, workshops, and studios are the incubation rooms for innovations, technological advancements, and developments”.

While showing solidarity to ASUU, NAAT said,” it wishes to state categorically that the job schedule of NAAT members and ASUU members are complementary to each other, based on that continuous neglect and reneging on the agreement freely entered into with Unions will no longer be left for ASUU to fight alone in the University System”.

“NAAT South-West ZEC members, therefore, call on FGN as a matter of urgency, to go back to the round table and resolve the trade disputes on
ground, not only with ASUU but with all the trade unions in the University system”.

“NAAT embarking on strike
would not only affect students and parents but would also lead to colossal economic loss on the part of government and would definitely return the system to zero level because all the teaching and research specimens, samples, and others within our care and monitoring would go for it”.