The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has insisted that it would begin a two-week warning strike beginning from December 2, 2024, over the inability of the government to resolve its eleven item demands.
The President of ASUP, Kpanja Shamnah, while briefing journalists at the end of its 112 National Executive Council, NEC, meeting in Abuja on Thursday, stated that the strike was to force the government to address issues threatening the progress of the sector.
Shamnah emphasised that a key issue is the appointment of a Rector at Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State, which allegedly bypassed standard procedures and contravened the Federal Polytechnics Act.
“Our union’s National Executive Council, NEC, held its 112th session to review the current status of our engagements with proprietors of Public Polytechnics, Colleges of Technology and Monotechnics in the country.
“The defining resolutions of our Union’s 111th NEC was the issuance of a 15 day ultimatum to the government to address issues threatening the progress of the sector or face a withdrawal of services by our members nationwide.
“The issues listed by our union include sustained reports of impunity and disrespect of clear provisions of the Federal Polytechnics Act, different edicts establishing state owned institutions, and other instruments of governance in the sector particularly as it affects appointment of Principal Officers in Federal and State-Owned Polytechnics as well as other items of governance in Polytechnics.
“The sordid display of the Governing Council of the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, in the appointment process of a new Rector, and the appointment of a Rector in Federal Polytechnic, Wannune without following due process were cited as recent examples of these breaches,” he said.
The ASUP president noted that the non-review of the contentious and suspended ‘Schemes of Service for Polytechnics’ and the non-release of the NEEDS Assessment intervention funds for 2023, were other issues bothering the union.
“Others include, the intrusion of the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, into the regular functions of the Academic Boards of Polytechnics in the admission of Higher National Diploma students in the Nigerian Polytechnic System.
“Non capturing of the peculiar academic allowance of members for sustained payment in the planned post IPPIS era; refusal of most state-owned Polytechnics to implement the 35/25 percent salary review for members and non release of the arrears of the same in Federal Polytechnics among others,” he said.
The ASUP president urged the government to resolve the issues listed or be held responsible for an indefinite action going forward.
“Following these developments and a thorough review by our Union’s 112th NEC meeting, the union resolved to withdraw the services of its members nationwide with effect from December 2, 2024, on a two weeks definite strike action in the first instance,” he warned.
