ASUP Threatens To Resume Suspended Strike. The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has warned the federal government it might be forced to resume its suspended strike.
ASUP said the reason is because of alleged failure of the Federal Government to fulfil the April 2021 Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed to end the ASUP strike action.
The lecturers have equally demanded immediate release of the approved N15 billion revitalization fund and the 10 months arrears of the minimum wage owed members in Federal Polytechnics, while also calling for the commencement and conclusion of the renegotiation of the Union’s 2010 agreement.
ASUP made the demands in a communique issued at the end of the 16th National Delegates Conference of ASUP held at Asaba, Delta State between 6-10 December 2021 and made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.
The delegates conference was held under the Chairmanship of the ASUP President, Comrade Anderson Ezeibe to review the progress recorded by the Union in her engagements with owners of public polytechnics and monotechnics in the country as well as the state of the nation with emphasis on the national economy and security.
ASUP also told Nigerians to hold the Federal Government responsible if the lecturers resume the suspended strike.
According to the communique, “The delegates frowned at the government’s failure to fulfil its own end of the bargain resulting from the April 2021 Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed to end the ASUP strike action.
“The NDC renewed the demands for the immediate release of the approved N15 billion revitalisation fund and the 10 months arrears of the minimum wage owed members in Federal Polytechnics.
“The NDC further resolved that, should the Union resume its suspended strike action, the government should be held responsible. The NDC condemned the reckless breach of the 2019 Polytechnic Act (as amended) in any Federal Polytechnics from across the country and the failure of state governments to domesticate the Act.
“For this reason, the Conference called on the Institutions to abide by the provisions of the Act and also appealed to State Governments to fast track the domestication of the Act to align the governance of their institutions with acceptable standards.”
The union commended the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for establishing six new Centres of Excellence in six polytechnics, tasking the agency to ensure that the centre is properly monitored with a view to ensuring the desired impact is felt in the sector.
Reacting to incessant attacks by bandits on educational institutions and kidnapping of students and teachers for ransom, the lecturers expressed concerns at the increasing security challenges facing the nation, which they noted has a direct bearing on the peace, order, stability, welfare and well-being of Nigerians.
ASUP, therefore, tasked the government at all levels to find lasting solutions to the protracted security challenges bedevilling all parts of the country.
While condemning plans by the Federal Government to increase the prices of petroleum products and electricity tariffs in the country, ASUP stated that such policies were anti-people which would further pauperise the citizens.
It, however, enjoined the government to cut down on frivolities and ostentatious lifestyle of political office holders and prioritise sectors with direct impact on human development indices in its spending.
The lecturers applauded the National Assembly for passing a bill seeking to abolish the infamous Degree/HND dichotomy and appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the bill, declaring that the bill when functional would assist the technical and vocational educational sub-sector to meet its mandate to the nation.
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