ASUP VOWS STRIKE ACTION AFTER 21-DAY ULTIMATUM
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BY OWOLABI OLUWADARA
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics has issued a warning to initiate a strike should the Federal Government neglect to fulfill its requirements upon the conclusion of a 21-day deadline.
The Zonal Coordinator of ASUP Zone B, Innocent Simji, made this announcement during a press conference in Bauchi on Friday, emphasizing that the union’s stance was consistent with the resolution from its national headquarters.
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Simji elaborated that the ultimatum, which was issued following an urgent National Executive Council meeting convened on August 14 in Abuja, arose from the government’s failure to resolve critical issues jeopardizing the viability of the polytechnic sector.
“The Union, at its most recent emergency National Executive Council meeting, resolved to establish a 21-day ultimatum for the government to address several significant matters threatening the viability of the polytechnic sector,” Simji stated.
He enumerated the outstanding concerns to encompass: the failure to issue circulars by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission to address specific academic allowances, the non-disbursement of arrears from the 25/35 percent salary adjustment, and the lack of enforcement of the review in state-operated polytechnics.
Others are the delay in granting a dual mandate structure to eliminate the dichotomy between polytechnic and university graduates, the non-release of approved needs assessment funds for infrastructure, and the outsourcing of the National Board for Technical Education’s quality assurance mandate to unqualified vendors.
According to him, further grievances include the non-establishment of a dedicated commission for polytechnics, non-release of promotion arrears, non-implementation of promotions in state-owned polytechnics, the stalled renegotiation of the 2010 ASUP/FGN agreement, and the refusal of some states to domesticate the Federal Polytechnics Act.
He further condemned the persistent discrimination against Higher National Diploma (HND) holders within the public sector, the failure to disburse CONTISS 15 arrears, the militarization of educational institutions, and inappropriate interference in union operations, especially at the Federal Polytechnic Nekede.
“In light of these unresolved matters and the unenthusiastic attitude of the Federal Ministry of Education towards sincere dialogue, the Union’s National Executive Council (NEC) has decided to issue a 21-day ultimatum.
“If no action is taken during this timeframe, we will be compelled to announce a labor dispute and withdraw the services of our members across all public polytechnics and monotechnics nationwide,” Simji cautioned.
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