The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has threatened to shut down all polytechnics from Wednesday, May 11, over the failure of the Federal Government to fulfill the agreement reached with the union in May 2021.
Briefing newsmen at Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State, Precious Nwakodo, zonal coordinator, Zone D, which comprises of South-South and South-East, said the planned strike followed the expiration of the ultimatum notice given to the government to implement the Memorandum of Action it entered with ASUP.
Nwakodo listed some of the demands to include the non-release of the N15 billion Revatilization Fund approved over a year for the sector to address infrastructural deficit as contained in the 2014 Needs Assessment Report.
He said that the federal and state governments have failed to commence payment of 10-month arrears of the new minimum wage after three years of signing the bill into law, adding that many states of the federation are yet to implement the new minimum wage in their various institutions.
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“Following the discouraging response of the government to the one month notice of ultimatum which ended five days ago, May 4, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union will be meeting in two days’ time at Abuja to review the situation and take a decision on the planned strike,” Nwakodo said.
The zonal coordinator, while appealing to members to support the decision of the national body on the planned strike, said it is in their best interest and of the polytechnics across the country.
Earlier, Lawani Jimoh, chairman of ASUP, Auchi Polytechnic chapter, assured that the chapter would comply with the strike.
“For us at Auchi Polytechnic, our members are committed to the strike as long as the directive is from the national body,’’ Jimoh said.
