Gov. Hope Uzodimma has assured members of the organised labour in Imo that the Federal Government was not insensitive to the plight of students in the country.
Uzodimma gave the assurance while addressing protesting organised labour, led by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday in Owerri.
NLC embarked on the protest in solidarity with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to demand the Federal Government to honour agreements reached with ASUU, to end the six months strike.
“I am also in solidarity with you; I
want to assure you that the Federal Government is not insensitive to the plights of our children in school.
“I want to urge you to be patient,” he said.
He said the Federal Government was working round the clock to see that the matter was resolved.
While also urging members of ASUU to look beyond Federal Government’s interest and consider the interest of students, the governor urged the union to “temper justice with mercy”.
Uzodimma further assured workers in the state that he would do his best to protect their interest and promote their welfare.
Earlier, the state Chairman of NLC, Mr Philip Nwansi, urged the governor to wade into the lingering dispute between the Federal Government and ASUU.
Nwansi said: “This protest is not against the state government.
“This protest is against the Federal Government for the state government to help us press our demand home.
“Our universities, since five months, have closed.
“Our students are roaming about; universities’ workers and lecturers are not receiving their salaries; we want to plead with the Federal Government and the state government to help us make sure that this problem is solved in no distant time,” he added
The protesters took off from their secretariat at New Owerri and walked through major roads, including Wetheral, bank road to the Government House. (NAN)