Workers of the West African Examinations Council on Thursday continued their nationwide protest over unresolved welfare concerns, alleged victimisation, and unfair labour practices, disrupting activities at the council’s national headquarters in Yaba, Lagos.
The protest, organised by the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, entered its second day as aggrieved workers marched from the WAEC headquarters in Yaba to the council’s Special Printing Division in Somolu before returning to the head office.
The demonstrators, who commenced the protest around 7 a.m., carried placards and chanted solidarity songs while demanding improved welfare conditions and an end to what they described as impunity and discriminatory practices within the examination body.
The industrial action, according to union leaders, is expected to last for three days.
Activities at the WAEC office in Yaba were temporarily paralysed during the protest, with parents, examination candidates, and visitors reportedly asked to return later in the day after the demonstration.
Speaking during the protest, Chairman of NASU-WAEC, Mr. Kayode Ogunyade, accused the Head of National Office of WAEC Nigeria, Amos Dangut, of undermining acceptable labour practices and placing excessive workload on workers.
According to Ogunyade, the protest was aimed at drawing public attention to what workers described as growing intimidation and suppression within the council.
“The agitation is that impunity in our system is on the highest level,” Ogunyade stated.
“Impunity is when you act believing you are the all-in-all and nobody can check you. To the extent that even other management staff have been silenced and cannot express dissenting views,” he added.
The union leader alleged that workers had suffered intimidation and disciplinary actions following previous industrial disputes with the management, especially after the minimum wage-related strike in December 2024.
“Since after that strike action, we have been in serious trouble, from dismissal to punishment,” Ogunyade claimed.
He further accused the management of creating pressure on workers through what he described as unrealistic examination scheduling despite dwindling manpower within the council.
“Some of us who participated in last year’s examination have died. Some voluntarily resigned, some retired, while others are on interdiction,” he said.
“You cannot reduce the staff strength and still compress the examination timetable into three weeks. Automatically, that creates pressure on workers,” Ogunyade added.
The union also criticised the alleged recruitment of contract Examination Officers and Assistant Examination Officers without proper adherence to due process.
“There is no problem with contract staffing, but due process must be followed,” he stressed.
Ogunyade noted that concerns relating to staff welfare, career progression, disciplinary procedures, and recruitment irregularities contributed significantly to the protest.
He also disclosed that no fresh discussions had been initiated between the management and the union since the commencement of the industrial action.
The protest followed a seven-day ultimatum earlier issued by NASU’s national leadership to WAEC management over nine demands bordering on staff welfare and labour practices.
Meanwhile, WAEC had earlier assured candidates, parents, and stakeholders that the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination would not be disrupted by the protest.
The council, through its Public Affairs Department, maintained that the examination process remained seamless despite the industrial action by some categories of workers.
WAEC also defended its decision to adjust the examination timetable, explaining that the reduction in examination duration became necessary following the streamlining of examination subjects from 76 to 38.
The examination body further denied allegations of indiscriminate dismissals and unfair sanctions, insisting that disciplinary measures taken against workers were carried out in accordance with its established regulations.
