ASUP begins indefinite strike

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) have begun a nationwide indefinite strike action.

The strike action commenced today.

ASUP said this followed the failure of the government to address the sorry state of polytechnics and monotechnics; and the expiration of the ultimatum issued since March 2020.

The action is coming less than a week after resident doctors embarked on a nationwide strike over non-payment of allowances and other issues.

Anderson Ezeibe, the ASUP President, while announcing this at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, said academic activities had been shut shown in all polytechnics and like institutions nationwide with effect from 12 am April 6.

Ezeibe said the union’s demands were communicated to the ministries of education, labour and others, as well as, to state governors but nothing was done about them.

He listed the lecturers’ grievances to include non-implementation of the 2014 NEEDS Report and non-release of revitalization fund to the sector despite assurances since 2017.

“Our grievances also include the non-reconstitution of governing councils in federal polytechnics and many state-owned institutions leading to the disruption of governance and administrative processes in the institutions since May 2020.

“This has also undermined the renegotiation of the union’s 2010 agreement with the government which was unilaterally suspended by the government for over two years now,” he said.