ASUP Threatens Nationwide Strike, Gives 3 Weeks Ultimatum

Another strike in our polytechnics nation wide may be inevitable as the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has given the federal government 3 weeks ultimatum to meet their demands or the union would embark on nationwide indefinite strike.

This was revealed by the president of the union, Comrade Usman Yusuf Dutse, while addressing journalists at the end of the 83rd quarterly meeting of the national executive council (NEC) of the union in Lafia.

Some of the issues include inadequate infrastructure in polytechnics across the country, inadequate funding and the need for the review of Polytechnics Acts which are outdated.

Other demands include implementation and payment of salary arrears of 2012 consolidated tertiary institutions salary structure (Contiss), 2010 Contiss agreement with the federal government which was mot captured in the 2016 budget as the committee set up to review it in 2014 was yet to submit its report.

He also stated that the government need to bridge the gap The ASUP chairman said government needs to address the issue of university/polytechnic dichotomy and ensure that polytechnic graduates are treated equally with their university counter-parts in terms of promotion and considerations for appointments in the civil service.

He finally called on the government to exclude tertiary institutions in the newly introduced Treasury Single Account (TSA) due to their peculiar nature; stating that the TSA platform is cumbersome.