Kwara State government has appealed to the striking workers in state-owned tertiary institutions to return to work immediately in the interest of the generality of the masses who cannot afford to send their children/wards to private institutions.

The appeal became necessary in view of the industrial action embarked upon by workers of Colleges of Education, Ilorin, Oro and Lafiagi and the College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies, Ilorin on the order of their union leaders.

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed however expressed his sensitivity to the plight of the workers and the determination of his administration to do everything possible to resolve the industrial dispute amicably.

The state government also appealed to the union leaders to return to the negotiation table and give the new administration the benefit of the doubt that it was capable of resolving the dispute amicably within the shortest time possible.

It therefore enjoined the union leaders and the striking workers to immediately suspend the industrial action and return to work in the interest of the innocent students and the state at large.

While the union leaders resumed negotiation with government team, the governor assured that no worker would be victimised for participating in the industrial action.

It would be recalled that workers of the state-owned tertiary institutions began an indefinite strike on Monday, as they pressed for 100 per cent implementation of the Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education salary structure (CONPCASS) and the Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTEDISS).