The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike if the Federal Government fails to address its long-standing demands within 21 days.
The ultimatum was issued following an emergency meeting of the union’s National Executive Council held on August 14 in Abuja.
Speaking at a press conference in Bauchi on Friday, ASUP Zone B Coordinator, Innocent Simji, said the union was left with no choice but to take decisive action over what it described as the government’s neglect of the polytechnic sector.
“The Union at her last emergency National Executive Council meeting resolved to issue a 21-day ultimatum to the government to address some germane issues threatening the survival of the polytechnic sector,” Simji stated.
He listed the outstanding grievances to include the non-release of circulars on peculiar academic allowances, non-payment of arrears of the 25/35 per cent salary review, and failure to implement the salary adjustments in state-owned polytechnics.
Other issues, he said, include the delay in approving a dual mandate structure to end the dichotomy between university and polytechnic graduates, the non-release of needs assessment funds for infrastructure, and the outsourcing of the National Board for Technical Education’s quality assurance mandate to unqualified vendors.
Simji also lamented the absence of a dedicated commission for polytechnics, non-payment of promotion arrears, stalled renegotiation of the 2010 ASUP/FGN agreement, and refusal by some states to domesticate the Federal Polytechnics Act.
He further condemned what he described as the “continued discrimination against HND holders in public service, non-release of CONTISS 15 arrears, militarisation of campuses, and undue interference in union activities, particularly at the Federal Polytechnic Nekede.”
“In view of these unresolved issues and the non-committal disposition of the Federal Ministry of Education to genuine dialogue, the Union’s NEC has resolved to issue a 21-day ultimatum,” Simji warned.
“If nothing is done within this period, we will be forced to declare a trade dispute and withdraw the services of our members across all public polytechnics and monotechnics nationwide.”
The ultimatum, which began counting from August 14, is expected to lapse in early September, raising concerns of a looming nationwide shutdown of polytechnics.