ASUP mobilise for strike as ultimatum expires

The 15-day ultimatum issued by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) to the Federal Government to meet its demands is set to expire on Oct. 23.

The group had threatened to embark on strike should the government fail to address the contentious new scheme of service for polytechnic lecturers across the country.

As the deadline approaches, more lecturers have endorsed the ASUP National Executive Council’s (NEC) position to mobilise members to withdraw their services once the ultimatum expires.

Dr Iloma Richard, ASUP Zone D Coordinator, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Wednesday that the government has yet to address the contentious issues in the new guidelines.

Richard said that ASUP had suspended its planned industrial action on July 22, following the Federal Government’s intervention, which mandated the National Board for technical Education (NBTE) to review the disputed guidelines.

“The strike was suspended to create the necessary environment for the speedy resolution of all contentious issues through stakeholders engagement process.

“Regrettably, as I speak, no progress has been made in this direction due to the obvious reluctance of NBTE.

“The union has also noted, with regret, a similar attitude of the government towards other welfare needs of the union’s members,” he said.

The union leader highlighted the alleged disregard for quality control in polytechnic education, warning that, if allowed to persist, it would lead to the collapse of technical and vocational education in the country.

According to him, polytechnic lecturers in Zone D, comprising the South-South and South-East states, would withdraw their services once ASUP’s NEC issues such a directive.

“This position has been articulated by our national leadership and formally communicated to all relevant authorities, with a subsisting 15-day ultimatum effective from Oct. 8.

“We shall not hesitate to swiftly mobilise our members from all chapters in the zone if, upon the expiration of the ultimatum, NEC directs any form of industrial action,” Richard added.

It was reported that the contentious issues in the new scheme include the delayed stakeholders’ engagement on the scheme of service and the non-release of the stakeholders-validated Condition of Service for polytechnics.

Other issues include the inconsistent provisions of the Federal Polytechnic Act and the Laws establishing state-owned institutions, particularly concerning the appointment of Principal Officers.

Additionally, concerns were raised over the delayed implementation of a 35 per cent and 25 per cent salary review for state-owned polytechnics, as well as the release of arrears for federal polytechnics.

ASUP also demanded the release of a second tranche of the NEEDS Assessment intervention fund and the immediate capture of members’ peculiar academic allowance, among other issues.