ASUP decried FG’s ‘snail-speed’ approach to pressing issues in polytechnics, declares support for ASUU

THE Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has expressed displeasure over what it described as the ‘snail-speed’ approach of the government in addressing some crucial issues that bedevil member-institutions.

Among the pressing issues ASUP condemned are, “The lack of transparency, as well as stakeholders exclusion in the processes leading to the release and allocation of the approved N15 billion revitalisation fund for public polytechnics in the country; the conclusion of the ASUP/FGN re-negotiation of the 2010 agreement; revision and release of an acceptable scheme of service for polytechnics; withdrawal of the contradictory template for the appointment of principal officers and the need to replace same, as observed by the union; appointment of a substantive Rector for Federal Polytechnic Offa, Kwara State.”

Rising from its 104th National Executive Meeting held in Abuja, ASUP, in a communiqué signed by its Publicity Secretary, Abdullahi Yalwa, also harped on the issue of poor funding of Nigerian polytechnics and it ripple effects to both the operation of the institutions, the student and quality of the products of tertiary education.

The communiqué read, “NEC decried the sustained poor funding of member institutions which has derailed the actualisation of the mandates of these institutions. NEC decried the inadequacies in the operation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), introduced by the Federal Government and some state governments, as such has been shown to be opaque and a poor fit for tertiary institutions.

“NEC equally condemned the poor funding profiles of several state-owned institutions in the country. NEC noted that the poor funding outlook of these institutions has denied the institutions access to enough funds for the purposes of accreditation and re-accreditation of programmes, infrastructural development, mounting of new courses, sourcing and engagement of competent personnel, and the day -o-day running of the institutions.

“NEC frowned at the wastages of scarce resources by the government and the tacit endorsement of impunity in the sector as evidenced by the non-implementation of the reports of the visitation panels set up for federal polytechnics in 2012; and the non release of the white paper for 2021 visitation.

“NEC noted with discomfort the harassment of its members at the Federal Polytechnic Ado-Ekiti by the EFCC Zonal office in Ilorin under the guise of investigating allegations of fraud in the institution.

While recognising the statutory duties of the anti graft agency, we are convinced that such duties should be discharged in accordance with the rule of law without undermining the dignity and self worth of our members, and indeed other citizens.

“NEC observed with dismay, the current suspension of the activities of the Governing Council of Federal Polytechnic, Oko by the Federal Ministry of Education. The union notes that such is in dissonance with the provisions of the Federal Polytechnic’s Act and as such has created an avoidable vacuum in the governance of the institution. This is currently having adverse consequences on staff welfare issues and general wellbeing of the institution.

“The union also condemned the non representation of the union’s members at Federal Colleges of Agriculture in the process of amending the scheme and condition of service of the institutions by Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN).”

On the poor handling of trade disputes in the education sector by the government, ASUP said, “NEC noted with great disappointment the persistent failure of FGN to honour resolutions and agreements signed with unions in the tertiary education sector which has resulted in frequent declarations of industrial actions in the sector.

“NEC noted that despite the patriotic leanings of the unions, the government has been compounding the conflicts by their actions and inactions. NEC made copious reference to the tardy handling of the industrial crises in the university system by the government where the situation has degenerated to the deployment of starvation, judicial intimidation and shameless plots of balkanisation of unions, as instruments of conflict resolution particularly in its dealings with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

“Nigerians should rally round the staff unions in the tertiary sector and ensure that citizens are not blocked from having access to quality education at the tertiary level. Nigerians should deploy every lawful instrument to resist any attempt by the government to make public tertiary institutions inaccessible to the masses.

“Federal Ministry of Labour to desist from the plot to balkanise ASUU and ensure that the registration and recognition of any new union in the university system in particular and the tertiary education landscape in general is in sync with the law.

“The government to release salaries owed to members of ASUU, SSANU, NAAT, and NASU in the Nigerian university system to facilitate restoration of sustainable industrial harmony; and to deploy the globally accepted instrument of collective bargaining in resolving trade disputes in the sector.

“ASUP therefore stands in unfettered solidarity with ASUU in its current engagement with the government.”

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