The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) may embark on another strike if the government fails to implement the Union’s Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed with it in April, 2021.
The union urged the public to hold the government and its agencies responsible for any other strike dispute that may occur in Nigeria’s Polytechnic system .
It added that the Union will continue consultations on the next steps, as it would not hesitate to go on strike if the government does not move quick to avert the impending strike.
ASUP reached this resolution in a communiqué issued at the end of the 101 regular meeting of the National Executive Council of the Union at the Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, Ogun State, which was made available to journalists in Bauchi by the Union.
According to the communiqué, the NEC meeting frowned at government’s lethargic approach towards implementation of some items in the MoA it signed with the Union despite the three-month suspension corridor granted
by the Union.
The communiqué signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Abdullahi Yalwa, stated that of particular interest in the items included the non-release of minimum wage arrears to staff of federal polytechnics and several state-owned polytechnics, as well as the non-release of the approved sum of N15 billion revitalisation fund for the sector more than three months after the approval.
It also noted non commencement of the renegotiation of the Union’s 2010 agreement despite the reconstitution of governing councils, as well as the continued nonpayment of salaries in several state-owned institutions.
The communiqué expressed the Union’s dismay at recent reports of infractions in the process of appointment of principal officers in federal polytechnics and some state-owned polytechnics in
disregard of extant provisions in establishment laws.
The communiqué reads in parts “In view of the unsatisfactory status of the implementation of the Union’s MoA signed with the government in April 2021, the Nigerian public should hold the government and its agencies
responsible for any other breakdown of industrial harmony in the sector as our Union and her members have shown considerable patience and restraint.
It would be recalled that ASUP had on Thursday 10th of June 2021 suspended its 65 days industrial strike, following an agreement reached between the union and the federal government.
The publicity secretary of ASUP, had explained that it was the expectation of the union that the suspension of the action would provide an enabling environment for the government to fulfill other aspects of the memorandum.
