ASUP Sustains Two Weeks Warning Strike In Polytechnics, Still Awaiting FG's Response On Demands

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics ( ASUP) on Tuesday agreed to sustain their two weeks nationwide warning strike in public polytechnics in Nigeria which commenced on Monday, saying the union is still awaiting the response of the Federal Government on its demands 

President of ASUP, Comrade Anderson Ezeibe addressing newsmen after the union's National Congress held at the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro in Ogun State, said the government was yet to implement agreements reached with union after one year of Memoranda of Action signed on the demands 

Already both academic and non-academic staff unions in the public universities in the country are strike over failure of the government to meet their respective demands 

"We are still optimistic that the agreement signed with the union will be implemented, it is not about meeting with the government, it is about implementing what we agreed last year with the government", he stated

Ezeibe listed the demands of ASUP to include, “none release of the approved revitalisation fund of N50billion for the polytechnic  education, none release of arrears of the new minimum wage owed running into 10 months arrears for the polytechnics as well as none release of the reviewed normative instruments for institution/management and programmes accreditation.

The union also accused government of non-compliance with approved retirement age, non-deployment of approved salary structures, poor governance structure as well as other issues affecting standards, particularly in state-owned Polytechnics.”

ASUP equally expressed concern over alleged violation of the Polytechnics Act as amended 2019.

But the union however said government implementation the agreement of constitution of governing council for the some of the Polytechnics and setting up of visitation panels for the polytechnics

The ASUP chief asked members to be prepared for longer strike soonest, if government fails  to respond to the demands of the union 

On conversion of some of the polytechnics in the country to university of technology, he described the move as lacking in vision, saying government has not really empowered the polytechnic system to deliver on its mandate of producing the required  man power for technological advancement of the country