By Tina Omoregie
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), speaking after meeting with the Minister of Education Mallam Adamu Adamu on Tuesday said there is no going back on strike.
ASUP had embarked on an indefinite industrial action starting from Tuesday over what they described as refusal of government to address its demands.
ASUP, President Comrade Comrade Anderson Ezeibe said the strike will continue until their demands were met.
Ezeibe listed the twelve-points demands of the union which include demands include, refusal of the government to release/pay ten (10) months of New Minimum Wage Arrears, refusal to constitute Governing Councils for Federal Polytechnics since the last GCs were dissolved in May of 2020, atttempts by the AGF to steal N19bn from Federal Polytechnic staff salaries to pay unverified and unreconciled taxes that staff have long paid.
He expressed displeasure that the Federal Government has not responded to series of letters written over the matter since the expiration of the union’s ultimatum issued since March 2020.
Non-release of the 10 months arrears of minimum wage owed members in Federal Polytechnics and non-implementation of same in several states own institutions, non-reconstitution of governing councils leading to disruption of administrative processes in polytechnics since May 2020 and victimization of officials of the union in some states own polytechnics.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Union to dialogue with the Federal Government.
He appealed to Members of the public to show understanding and support efforts of the union towards salvaging the polytechnic subsector from total collapse.
“Nonpayment of salaries in some state-owned institutions as our members are owed their legitimate emoluments ranging from 5 to 24 months in Abia, Ogun, Osun, Edo, Benue, Plateau, continued victimization of officials of our union as seen in Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu, Federal Polytechnic Mubi as well as Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo,” Ezeibe said.
He said the situation has degenerated to the alleged clamping down and brazen illegal seizure of the properties of its union by the Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Nassarawa.
While calling for the establishment of a commission for the sector in order to bridge the gaps in regulatory activities, as well as match the expansion of the sector, while positioning the institutions towards fulfillment of their mandate to the country, the ASUP president said the non-implementation of the approved 65 years retirement age in the sector by some state governments, notably Kano, as well as the continued appointment of unqualified persons as rectors of polytechnics in some states must be addressed.
However, the Minster of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu said some of the issues were already being resolved, stressing that president Muhammadu Buhari had approved the constitution of governing councils for Polytechnics and it will be inaugurated soon.