Unity colleges staff suspend strike

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has called off its strike concerning the King's College concession, allowing the reopening of 115 Federal Unity Colleges across Nigeria. The decision was made after a meeting between ASCSN representatives, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, and zonal coordinators on Tuesday.

The strike was initially scheduled to end on September 13, but ASCSN members had directed staff to boycott the resumption, claiming the King's College concession threatened the future of the Federal Unity College system.

The union's leaders resolved to suspend the industrial action while a seven-member committee reviews the concession document for King's College. The development comes two weeks after the ASCSN and Parent Teacher Association shut down all Unity Colleges, demanding the Federal Government reverse the concession of King's College to its Old Boys Association.

The colleges were initially expected to reopen on September 13, but ASCSN workers had directed staff to defy the government's resumption order, citing threats to the Unity College system.

ASCSN leaders and the zonal coordinators reviewed the agreement reached between the labor union and the federal ministry of education, as well as the King's College concession document. They agreed to suspend the ongoing strike action to enable the committee to review the concession document. The committee includes two representatives from ASCSN. The decision to suspend the strike was based on the fact that the King's College concession was put on hold pending the committee's report.