ASUP Declares Nationwide Strike; Polytechnic Students Grumble

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has announced a two-week warning strike starting on Monday, 2nd December 2024, over the non-implementation of their demands by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The decision to go on strike is due to the government’s failure to execute the terms of a work plan agreed upon in the Union’s last meeting with the Federal Ministry of Education and other stakeholders on 23rd October 2024.

Some of the issues include:

1. Acts of impunity and disrespect for clear provisions of the Federal Polytechnics Act in the appointment of Rectors at Federal Polytechnic, Wannune, and Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, as well as the non-appointment of a Rector at Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu. The Federal Government has encouraged such acts of impunity through negligence, as it has failed to review the flawed processes and/or hold erring Governing Councils to account, as already ruled by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.

2. Non-review of the contentious and suspended document titled *Schemes of Service for Polytechnics and Conditions of Service.

3. Non-release of the NEEDS Assessment intervention funds for 2023.

4. Intrusion by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) into the regular functions of the Academic Boards of Polytechnics in the admission of Higher National Diploma students in Nigerian Polytechnics, Monotechnics, and Colleges of Technology.

5. Non-inclusion of the Peculiar Academic Allowance of members for sustained payment in the planned post-IPPIS era.

6. Refusal by most State-owned Polytechnics to implement the 35%/25% salary review for members and the non-release of the arrears of the same in Federal Polytechnics.

7. Non-release or resolution of the owed CONTISS 15 Migration arrears to members in the lower cadre.

8. Non-conclusion of the FGN/ASUP 2010 agreement renegotiation process.

9. Failure to conduct promotion exercises in some State institutions and the non-release of promotion arrears in both Federal and State-owned institutions.

10. Intrusion into the affairs of the Union and intimidation of elected Union officials by the beneficiary of the flawed appointment process at Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, as well as the non-release of the appointment of Rectors at Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa; Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas, Bonny Island; Federal Polytechnic, Oko; and Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, even though the processes have since been concluded.

The Union stressed that only item number 4 has been addressed, while item number 2 is ongoing, which constitutes a breach of the work plan initially agreed upon.

The Polytechnic lecturers concluded that they are ready to dialogue with the government to ensure that all these issues are resolved. 

As a result of this strike action, there will be no lectures or academic activities across all Nigerian Federal Polytechnics and State Polytechnics, excluding private polytechnics.

Meanwhile, non-academic activities such as registration and clearance will continue. 

Polytechnic students are advised to wait for further directives from their respective school management to determine whether their school will participate in the strike action.