The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike if the Federal Government fails to address its longstanding demands within the next 21 days.
Speaking at a press briefing in Bauchi on Friday, the Zonal Coordinator of ASUP Zone B, Innocent Simji, said the decision aligns with the resolution reached at the union’s emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on August 14 in Abuja.
Simji explained that the ultimatum was prompted by the government’s failure to tackle critical issues threatening the survival and stability of the polytechnic education system.
Among the unresolved matters, he listed the non-release of circulars by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission for peculiar academic allowances, non-payment of arrears of the 25/35 percent salary review, and the non-implementation of the review in state-owned polytechnics.
Other grievances include delays in granting a dual mandate structure to address the dichotomy between polytechnic and university graduates, 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.
The union is also demanding the establishment of a dedicated commission for polytechnics, release of promotion arrears, implementation of promotions in state-owned polytechnics, completion of the renegotiation of the 2010 ASUP/FGN agreement, and domestication of the Federal Polytechnics Act by some states.
Simji further decried the continued discrimination against HND holders in the public service, non-release of CONTISS 15 arrears, militarisation of campuses, and alleged undue interference in union activities, particularly at the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede.
“In view of these unresolved issues and the non-committal disposition of the Federal Ministry of Education to genuine dialogue, the Union’s NEC has resolved to issue a 21-day ultimatum. If nothing is done within this period, we will be forced to declare a trade dispute and withdraw the services of our members across all public polytechnics and monotechnics nationwide,” he warned.
