ASUP Threatens Nationwide Strike Over Neglect By FG, States
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Zone C (South-West), has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike over alleged neglect by the Federal and State Governments in addressing key issues affecting polytechnic education and staff welfare.
The zone’s coordinator, Masopa Nurudeen, made the threat during a press conference at the Gateway (ICT) Polytechnic, Saapade, Ogun State, on Wednesday.
He listed 13 major grievances of the union, including non-payment of lecturers’ allowances, stalled promotions, poor infrastructure funding, and failure to implement reforms contained in the Federal Ministry of Education’s roadmap.
According to him, “Central to the demands is the unresolved Peculiar Academic Allowance, a product of the 2010 ASUP/FGN agreement. Continuity of the payment cannot be guaranteed without proper documentation from relevant agencies.”
Nurudeen also condemned the outsourcing of accreditation personnel by the Ministry of Education, describing it as a practice that compromises quality assurance, breeds corruption, and imposes financial burdens on institutions.
He noted that members were angered by the failure to pay 12 months’ arrears of consequential salary adjustment and the delay in releasing the 2023 NEEDS Assessment Intervention Fund.
He added, “Poor facilities remain a stumbling block for learning and research; yet, funds for redress remain locked. Our members also frown at failure to implement the 2019 Federal Polytechnic Act across state-owned polytechnics. This has left staff vulnerable to forced retirement and other administrative injustices in several states.”
On the lingering Higher National Diploma/Bachelor’s Degree dichotomy, Nurudeen lamented that President Bola Tinubu had yet to sign a bill passed by the National Assembly to end the disparity.
He further accused some state governments of withholding CONTISS 15 arrears for over a decade and delaying payment of promotion arrears. He also faulted Oyo State for failing to appoint substantive principal officers for Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa, saying “four years of acting leadership is detrimental to growth.”
The ASUP coordinator decried what he called the militarisation of some campuses with armed operatives to intimidate members, while also lamenting the stalled renegotiation of the 2010 ASUP/FGN agreement.
He said, “The union emphasises that 15 years without review shows the government’s disregard for collective bargaining. The union criticises the Federal Ministry of Education for abandoning the Rapid Response Committee mechanism. We believe that reconvening such meetings could help to avert industrial disputes and create a platform for dialogue.”
Nurudeen warned that if government at all levels fails to resolve the issues, the union would have no option but to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
