ASUP Issues FG 15 – day ultimatum to Address Grievances

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has reiterated its 15-day ultimatum earlier issued to the federal government to address its grievances.

The Union had earlier issued a 15-day ultimatum to the federal government to address its complaints on October 7.

The major complaint of the Union had been the perceived usurping of its powers by the National Board for Technical Education, whom it accused of undue interference in the admission of students into polytechnics in the country.

Background

Reiterating the union’s position, ASUP Zone C coordinator, Comrade Adekunle Masopa in a press briefing held at the Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic cited the failure of the National Board for Technical Education to comply with resolutions reached in July 2024 between NBTE and ASUP on the contentious reviewed scheme of service:

• Undue oversight function and usurpation of the power vested on the Academic Board of various institutions by NBTE with respect to the admission of students into the Higher National Diploma programmes
• Non-payment of promotion arrears spanning between three to five years in Federal Polytechnics and recurring delays in implementation of promotion in state Polytechnics
• Non-implementation of 25/35% consequential salary adjustment with effect from January 2023 as reasons for their decision.

Masopa said that it was unfair for the government to have kept mute since last week when the union issued the ultimatum saying that the lecturers would not have to be blamed should they decide to embark on strike at the expiration of the ultimatum.

The Zonal Coordinator berated the government for not showing enough support for the polytechnic education which has the mandate and capacity to drive the technological advancement of the country saying that the union would however not fold its hand and watch the collapse of this crucial sector of our national development.

The strike

On what needed to be done to avert this looming strike, Makopa said “The government must resume active duty and commitment to the resolutions of the tripartite meeting held in July 2024 on 2023 reviewed scheme of service.

“There must be immediate implementation of the 25/35 per cent consequential salary adjustment in state polytechnics from January 2023 as well as payment of the one-year arrears of this salary adjustment to Federal institutions without further delay.

“ASUP requests NBTE to desist from usurping the power of statutory bodies, particularly the Academic Board, with respect to admission of students at any level. Immediate payment of all outstanding promotion arrears.” He concluded.

Conclusively, Makopa stated that in compliance with the NEC of the Union, each chapter should begin sensitizing its members in preparation for the looming strike.

He also called on the government to do the needful to avert the strike action, stating, “in the interest of peace and harmony, the union calls on the government to urgently address all these issues within the 15 days ultimatum as resolved by the NEC of our union at its 111th meeting to avoid further union actions.”

 

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