The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) says it will not hesitate to down tools once the 21-day ultimatum given to the Federal Government to address its welfare concerns expires this week.
Addressing reporters on Wednesday at the emergency meeting of the Zonal Executive Council held at Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapde, Ogun State, ASUP Coordinator of Zone C, Comrade Adekunle Masopa disclosed that the National Executive Council of the union at an emergency meeting held on 14 August had issued a 21-day ultimatum to government and proprietors of public polytechnics and monotechnics in Nigeria on several issues affecting the sector and staffers within the sector.
The Zonal Coordinator berated the Federal Government for failure to pay the 12 months arrears of salary review owed to staff in Federal polytechnics and monotechnics since 2023 and the non-implementation of the consequential salary adjustment and new minimum wage in state institutions.
He noted that the government has refused to reconstitute the committee to look into renegotiation of the ASUP/FGN 2010 Agreement adding that the government has persistently refused to honour it after 15 years.
Masopa added that continuity on the payment of Peculiar Academic Allowance (PAA) cannot be guaranteed since the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission could not perfect documentation on it by releasing the circular to enable capturing of the component in budgets of institutions within the sector.
He said efforts to address the situation by the union is being frustrated as the Federal Ministry of Education fails to do the needful.
He cited others issues yet to be resolved, including the non release of fund for the 2023 NEEDS Assessment Intervention, the refusal of the government to pay promotion arrears owed to workers in the polytechnics for many years, unresolved dichotomy against HND holders in public service despite the passage of Bill on removal of dichotomy by the National Assembly, among others.
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