The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has stated that the union will definitely go on strike following the federal government’s failure to address its request within the one-month ultimatum given.
Recall that ASUP issued a one-month ultimatum to the federal government in March, to resolve issues that led to its industrial strike or face a review of the action.
The lecturers in Nigerian public polytechnics stated that they would definitely embark on industrial action as the federal government seems not willing to meet their demands.
ASUP disclosed this on Thursday, April 28 after an emergency congress of the union’s Zone C sector held at the Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic, Ijebu Igbo, in Ogun State,
The lecturers maintained that the federal government must meet its demands before the expiration of the one-month ultimatum.
Yekini Asafe, the zonal coordinator of ASUP, Zone C in his address to the media said that ASUP had in June 2021 suspended its 61-day industrial action, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government.
Read also: ASUU strike: Group gives FG 7 days to resolve issues
Asafe said due to the failure of the government to meet their demands, the union may have no option other than to resume the suspended industrial action.
The ASUP leader explained that the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting scheduled for Abuja on May 4 is meant to take the decision on the issue.
Asafe reiterated that the union’s demand remains that the federal government should address the non-release of the revitalisation funds for the sector; the non-release of arrears of the new minimum wage; and the failure to release the reviewed nomination instruments for institutions and management, among others.
He frowned at the delay in appointing substantive rectors at Federal Polytechnics Mubi, Offa, and Ekowe, in Adamawa, Kwara, and Bayelsa States respectively.
The academic don pointed out that the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Ogun State, and Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna State do not have substantive rectors notwithstanding the conclusion of the processes for their appointments.
Asafe urged the federal government to address the union’s demands so as to circumvent shutting down public polytechnics in Nigeria.
“We are using this medium to appeal to members of the public to prevail on the government to do the needful and avoid a shutdown of the sector,” he said.
