Workers of the West African Examinations Council have suspended their nationwide protest over alleged unfair labour practices and welfare concerns, but warned that fresh industrial action could be launched if their demands are not addressed.
The workers, under the aegis of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, had staged a three-day protest that disrupted activities at the council’s national office in Yaba, Lagos, which ended on Friday.
Speaking after the suspension of the protest, Chairman of NASU-WAEC, Mr Kayode Ogunyade, said the union had streamlined its agitation to a single demand — the removal of the Head of National Office, Amos Dangut.
“The only subject we have now is that we have decided to put aside all other demands. We are now asking for one demand,” Ogunyade said in an interview.
Asked what the demand was, he replied, “The one demand which is our distinct demand now is that Dangut must go. That is the song we are singing now.”
According to him, the union arrived at the decision after meetings with stakeholders and management failed to yield any concrete result.
He disclosed that the union held meetings with the WAEC Pension Welfare Association and management following Thursday’s protest, but no agreement was reached.
“At the end of the whole meeting, we could not achieve any results. We changed our song on Friday. We changed our agenda,” he said.
Despite suspending the protest, Ogunyade said the workers were considering further action and awaiting directives from the union’s national leadership.
“The next line of action will be the next line of action. We are the ones that survived the previous protests. We have the potential to do it again,” he stated.
He, however, confirmed that workers had returned to their duty posts and that examinations would continue uninterrupted.
“Yes, everybody is back to work,” he said, adding, “Exams will still go on.”
The protest, which began on Wednesday, saw workers march from the WAEC headquarters in Yaba to the council’s Special Printing Division in Somolu, chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards.
The workers accused management of intimidation, discriminatory practices and poor welfare conditions.
Ogunyade had earlier alleged that union members faced victimisation after a previous strike over minimum wage issues in December 2024.
He also criticised what he described as excessive workload on workers amid declining manpower, noting that WAEC officials covered all the 774 local government areas during examinations.
The union further raised concerns over recruitment practices, disciplinary procedures and career progression within the council.
WAEC, however, maintained that the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination had not been disrupted by the industrial action.
The council, through its Public Affairs Department, said examination activities remained seamless despite the protest and defended the adjustment of the examination timetable, attributing it to the reduction of subjects from 76 to 38.
WAEC also denied allegations of indiscriminate dismissals and unfair sanctions, insisting that disciplinary actions were carried out in line with established regulations.
