The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, (ASUP) has issued a one month warning to the Federal government urging it to release the agreed N15 billion revitalization funds it promised the union and to immediately commence the implementation of the payment of minimum wage arrears owed the members of the union since the new minimum wage has been in effect since 2019 or else it will embark on a strike action to press home its demands.
This was made known by the national president of the ASUP, Anderson Ezeibe, at the end of 102nd NEC meeting of the union held at the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Thursday, in Adamawa state.
Ezeibe decried that, the NEEDS assessment of the challenges of Polytechnics in Nigeria which was estimated 2014 at about N800 billion has not been met and even the N15 billion first trench promised by the federal government to address critical infrastructure decay has not been released nine months after agreement was reached.
Ezeibe laments that polytechnics staff in the country have been owed minimum wage arrears since December 31st, 2019 and despite the president’s directives for payment of the arrears for all ministries, departments and parastatals, its union member are yet to paid.
The ASUP president while outlining the polytechnics ordeals said there has been a, “Sustained infraction in the implementation of the provisions of the Federal Polytechnic Acts as amended in 2019, following the signing into law of the Federal polytechnic Acts.”
He further adds that, the non release of the reviewed normative instruments for institution/management and programs accreditation in view of the large disparity in governance platforms, management practices, as well as, conditions of service in the sectors yet to be implemented. This failure has led to a reckless establishment of Polytechnics under the proprietorship of state governments without the requisite finding, training and relevant infrastructure.
He said, “We have continued to witness delays in the appointment of Rectors of some federal polytechnics. Federal polytechnic Mubi remains without a substantive Rector for over two years, Kaduna Polytechnic, Federal polytechnic Offa and Federal Polytechnic Ekowe have also been operating without a substantive rector.
“Non release of the scheme of service for polytechnics since, 2017.”
The union said, it is tired of the situation where hired mercenaries are imported from outside the Polytechnic system to stifle the polytechnic system.
ASUP called on the federal government to swiftly keep its promise or face the wrath of the polytechnic as ASUP is ready to embark on a prolonged strike action since it is the only language the federal government understands.
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