The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has deferred its nationwide industrial action till December 2nd, 2024 to allow the Federal Government to meet its existing demands.
Recall that ASUP had on October 7 issued a two weeks ultimatum to government asking it to meet the existing demands some of which bordered on alleged intrusion of the NBTE into the statutory responsibilities of Academic Boards of Polytechnics on matters of HND students’ admission, revitalisation of infrastructure in the sector through the NEEDS ASSESSMENT intervention, nonimplementation of promotion in state institutions, payment of all outstanding promotion arrears and payment of outstanding arrears of 25%/35% salary review from January 2023 to December 2023 in Federal Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology.
In a statement confirming the new date for the proposed strike issued on Saturday, ASUP noted that it had, issued the mandatory 15 days ultimatum to the proprietors of public polytechnics and colleges of technology arising from a review of the state of affairs in the sector during the 111th meeting of the National Executive Council of the Union.
It explained that the ultimatum issued on October, contained 11 demands from the Union.
“Following the ultimatum, a resolution meeting of all stakeholders in the sector was convened by the Federal Ministry of Education with a view to resolving the contentious issues on the 23rd of October, 2024 in Abuja.
“Resolutions and an action plan were developed during the meeting to resolve the issues which cover instances of abuse of extant laws, regulations and statutes by some Governing Councils of Federal Polytechnics, items of welfare of academic staff in the sector.
“Others are intrusion of the NBTE into the statutory responsibilities of Academic Boards of Polytechnics on matters of HND students’ admission, revitalisation of infrastructure in the sector through the NEEDS ASSESSMENT intervention, nonimplementation of promotion in state institutions, payment of all outstanding promotion arrears, payment of outstanding arrears of 25%/35% salary review from January 2023 to December 2023 in Federal Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology.
“The implementation of the salary review in state institutions, payment of outstanding arrears of CONTISS 15 migration for lower cadres, sustenance of the payment of 7 percent Peculiar Academic Allowance post IPPIS exit, renegotiation of the FGN/ASUP agreement of 2010 and the payment of all outstanding third party deductions.
“The Union’s NEC therefore met again on an emergency note on the 24th of October 2024 to review the action plan as proposed in the meeting with the stakeholders and determine the next steps in its struggle for the survival of Polytechnic Education in the country.
“After exhaustive deliberations, the Union resolved to defer its proposed industrial action to the 2nd of December, 2024. The decision was taken to gauge the government’s commitment to implementing the action plan as agreed at the meeting of 23rd October, 2024.
“It is therefore the expectation of our Union that government will take advantage of the period to show commitment by diligently executing the action plan on each of the eleven items of dispute or risk a comprehensive withdrawal of service by academic staff in the Nigeria Polytechnic System,” ASUP noted.
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