We’re yet to decide on strike ― Polytechnic lecturers

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) is yet to decide whether or not to go on an indefinite industrial action at the expiration of its ongoing one-month ultimatum on Wednesday.

The union had on March 31 given the Federal Government one month window to meet its demands which have been lingering since 2010 otherwise it would immediately embark on an indefinite strike.

But the National President of the union, Dr Anderson Ezeibe, in an exclusive interview told Nigerian Tribune at the weekend that the union was yet to determine that.

He said such decision could only be reached at the emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) which is the highest decision making organ of the union should the Federal Government refuse to meet their demands by Wednesday.

“But as of today (Saturday), we are yet to fix a date for such meeting,” he noted, adding that “it is at the meeting that the committee will look into all the issues in contention and review the progress made so far and then take a position that will be of interest to the generality of members.

Ezeibe said even though government had been meeting with the leadership of the union and even fixed the next meeting to May 9, government had not been able to show seriousness as regards meeting the union’s demands that involved money.

According to him, the union suspended its last industrial action that lasted about 65 days in April 2021 based on the agreement that the government had approved a sum of N15 billion to inject into the system but up till now more than a year after, the money has not been released.

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He said: “Approval letter that is not translated to real money is a mere paper and that is Nigeria government for you using the same tactic with other unions including ASUU and resident doctors.”

The ASUP boss explained that the union members were grossly dissatisfied with the way and manner the government is taking issues of public importance such as the implementation of the items in their last Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reached since over a year ago.

He said aside from N15 billion revitalisation funds which the government ought to have released by now, the government is also expected to have released funds to pay the minimum wage arrears to members and other public polytechnic workers.

He said the union had done all that required from its own side including documentations on minimum wage arrears as directed by the government since February and with the belief that members would have been paid by March ending, but the issue is still the same old story.

He said only one thing that the government had been able to do are issues that do not involve money such as commencement of renegotiation of their 2010 agreement and the review of nomination instruments for institutions and managements, among others while neglecting items that involved money.

Eziebe, however, said the union would certainly wait till after their next meeting on March 9th with the Minister of Education before taking next step over the matter.