Nigerian Polytechnics Academic Staff, ASUP Issues One-Month Strike Ultimatum

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, has said it is planning for resumption of strike action.

The union had suspended its industrial action which ran for 61 days in June 2021 after reaching an agreement with the government.

The union on Thursday issued a one-month ultimatum to government for the strike action, in Yola at the end of its 102nd National Executive Council meeting.

ASUP’s national president, Anderson Uzeibe, while speaking with newsmen, noted that the decision became necessary after the government failed to implement important aspects of the memorandum of action signed with the union nine months ago.

Uzeibe said, “The government is yet to release the sum of N15billion as the first tranche of the N800billion revitalisation fund nine months after the approval by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Other issues include non-payment of outstanding arrears of minimum wage, non-release of reviewed normative instrument for institutions, management and accreditation, breach of the provisions of the Federal Polytechnic Act as amended in 2019 and delay in the appointment of rectors.

“So long as the government and other proprietors in the polytechnic system continue to violate laws and signed agreements, the union would not hesitate to down tool, saying industrial action had become the most potent way for workers to pressurise the government.

“Following exhaustive deliberation, the union’s National Executive Council has resolved to give the government a further one month as an ultimatum to address the outstanding issues as listed or face a review of the suspended industrial action by our union.”