The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics ( ASUP ) is set to embark on an indefinite strike action with effect from Monday, November 13, 2017 to press for the implementation of its agreement with government, accusing government of treating polytechnic education with disdain and levity.

Rising from the emergency meeting of its National Executive Council, ASUP said it has no choice than to embark on an indefinite strike after the expiration of its earlier 21 days ultimatum, adding that the conciliatory meeting organised by the Federal Ministry of Labour failed to produce positive result because the Ministry of Education was not interested in resolving the dispute.

National President of ASUP, Comrade Usman Y. Dutse also accused the government of using endless verification exercises to delay the payment of entitlements of members of the union, adding that while the union is not against government carrying out verification exercises, it should not endless and the exercise should not be used to denied workers their rights.

He said that despite the 21 days notice given to the government, they did not consider it necessary to address their demands for an improved funding of polytechnic education in the country.

Dutse said “Our union is therefore constrained to lament again that our sector is on the verge of collapse and needs all the emergency attention it urgently deserves. Until now, it should be noted that the issues raised here today have been there since 2014 and none of these issues has since 2014 been concretely resolved to improve the sector.

“It is against this background that we wish to remind governments at all levels and indeed all Nigerians that we cannot continue to be complacent in the face of imminent and seemly strategic annihilation of a sector that feeds and caters for millions of youths and families. A sector that if well harnessed will boost Nigeria’s technological know–how, improve ICT, create millions of employment opportunities and raise the level of both theoretical and practical technological literacy.”

Some of the issues include the non implementation of the NEEDS assessment report recommended the injection of N6.5 billion int the polytechnic education in 2014, adding that this has risen to about N8 billion, adding that without Imo,emerging the report, the essence of using tax payers money to embark on the exercise is wasted.

He said the issues also include the Non – passage of the Amendment Bill of the Polytechnics Act, adding that “the delay and indifference to the passage of this bill is viewed as a ploy to fester chaos and continued crises in the sector. Recall that this bill passed through public hearing since December 2016. One wonders why an all important bill such as this still remains unattended to even when assurances have been extracted from the Senate Committee on this bill, our regulatory agencies and ministry of education.

Passing this bill will go a long way to resolving majority of the contending issues in the sector, reduce conflicts, improve on the efficiency levels of the administrative organs and ultimately bring the sector in tune with global best practices. Same bill died with the 6th and 7th assemblies and the current effort is now being threatened to go same way as it is stuck in the Senate since the public hearing in December, 2016.

“Shortfalls in Personnel Releases and Withdrawal of Allowances and emoluments due to cuts in personnel releases. This phenomenon has persisted till date. As if this was not enough, government added salt to injury by withdrawing allowances which hitherto were part of salaries.

“Equally, unpaid arrears of promotions have continued to mount. While verifications of staff have been conducted over and over, only five institutions have received repayment of their 2016 shortfalls. This situation is compounded by the continued penchant of Governing Councils to siphon the meagre internal resources of institutions in order to assuage their unbridled appetite for luxury.”

He also said that the Non Release of CONTISS 15 Migration arrears has lingered since 2011 when the approval to migrate to the CONTISS 15 salary scale was secured from the government effective 2009, adding that “Since then, only the upper cader has been fully taken care of. Staffs in the lower cader are being short changed since then as they are yet to gat the full benefit of this policy. In response, government continues to set up committees without terminal dates and any meaningful response to the union’s protests.

“It is worthy to note that a lot of these issues constitute violations of the agreement signed between our union and the government in 2010. This is in tandem with the now well documented penchant of government to renege on agreements. Recently efforts to address these issues led to the convening, on the 24th of October 2017, of a conciliatory meeting by the Federal Ministry of Labour in Abuja.

“Curiously, the ministry in eye of the storm (The Federal Ministry of Education) was so poorly represented that no memorandum of action was agreed upon. This clearly showed the level of disdain and disrespect with which issues of the polytechnic sector are being handled by relevant agencies of government.

“In view of the above, our union rising from this emergency meeting hereby resolved to commence an indefinite and comprehensive strike action effective 13th November, 2017. This action shall be sustained until our demands are met or an implementable memorandum of action is agreed upon by our union and relevant agencies of government.

“We therefore call on well meaning Nigerians and indeed the public to prevail on the government to do the needful and avoid this imminent shutdown of the sector on an indefinite basis.”

Source:- http://www.exclusivepp.com.ng/asup-begin-indefinite-strike-november-13/

It's none of the country situation and what we actually needs now. Poly students are even needed for agricultural research and development projects now. Let them go on strike, the wise students will surely benefits from it.

Government of Strikers!

must every thing be achieved through strike

Here in sambisa buhari boys don't go on strike

This is sad

Hmmm

.

Timblaze:
.

Shuu?

I just pray they allow me to finish my HND project before they embark on their strike!


I hate this country!

I hate country that don't plan and work for progress..

I'm tired of this country... Nigeria can even lead your destiny to a wrong direction... Abi God include delay by strike in one destiny?

ASUU.... NOW ASUP... FG WHY

Too bad

We no hold them

We no hold them
Nairalandsars

for xmas time.
bubu nor kuku be christian.
so na till God knows wen he would reason dia matter.
for now..na how to win 2019 elections be the matter.
when will nollywood start producing hollywood action packed like kind of movies.
enough of this one mansion movies
where u only see a gateman and the movie shoot wont exceed the compound.
so fucking annoying.
or prince and princess useless movies.
even the so called ew gen movies in naija.
all those dem kind of jenifar movies are boring.
our sit coms more stupid.
look at do good,hustle johnsons family.
they all have ran out of ideas and so stupid.
d most annoying abt the series hustle.
so they cannot rent a real hostel.
the shoot and everu does not exceed the compound
and one useless bar..look at the room acid and dsh oda black guy claim to sleep in.
look at the bed.
single matress.
naija backwaerd in every.
we cant even produce standard movies relating to our situation.
such a shame.

wen evans was caught.
they all rushed and produced a 1day movie.
such a shame.
i was watching one Yoruba movie.they were all dressed in night wear and the clock was adjusted to 10pm..only for d guy to vex him wife.vex comot room.
as he opened yhe door.
lo and behold
the window was as bright as 5pm.
wtf

After wasting students time and effort, they will suspend the strike themselves without achieving anything

Our education sector is crashing... God, where is the future

This strike is turning to weekly news if not daily

None of our business

By this we shall know that there is no difference whatsoever between PDP and APC

Can one please mention one thing APC has done right , cos to me everything PDP did bad, APC is now doing the worst.

Is it corruption

Is it hardship

Is it nepotism

Is it economic sabotage

Is it financial recklessness from the executives/legislatures

Is it incessant industrial actions(strikes)

Is it lack of budget implementation

It is lies...

The list is just endless.

To all that packaged this failure and foisted it on Nigerians, it shall never be well with una inshallah

They are all mad,useless set of people

Asup and ASUU are only expressing their grievances towards the rather repulsive and disgusting treatment of the education system. Imagine the huge amount of money being owned -- Abacha's loot can settle this issues sef. But this current government lacks the mind of openness and straightforwardness. Even the last government isn't to be left aside. Pdp literally crippled the education system by owing huge amount of money, and because Government is all about continuity, APC, literally inherited the problems. There should be a total overhaul of the system. Education should receive more funding. Slash the salaries of senators, and the percent gained is enough to pay up the said debt.

ASUP strike don't have much effect like ASUU, hope FG hears their plea.

there ain't gonna b any strike

It's another one (in DJ Khaled's voice).

Pls FG and ASUP allow me to just finish this HND programme biko, mbok, ejoo , abeg, pls

Strike again? Nawa o..

The only language Nigeria government understand is strike. What a pity . from ASUU strike to ASUP strike, hmmmmm while their children are there in UK ,USA and other standard institutions abraod paying thousands of dollars to implement their own educational sector but here ,nothing to show ...........

so bad, government

I like amno be only ASUU go dey go strike