ASUP reveals ‘key demands’ FG must meet to end strike

Following the agitation that led to shutting down all polytechnics across the country on April 6, 2021, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP has listed steps the federal government must take before the union can call off its industrial action.

Recall that the union embarked on an indefinite strike over the non-implementation of a new salary scheme for polytechnic lecturers, by the federal government.

Speaking on African Independent Television (AIT) on Monday, April, 12, the National President of ASUP, Anderson Ezeibe has pointed out the core demands that once addressed by the government, the academic body will call off the strike.

READ ALSO: ASUP Begins Indefinite Strike

“We also expect the government to look into the issue of our minimum wage arrears. We verily believe this government can fund this. It’s about four billion for our sector. There’s a presidential directive in 2019 that all workers in the different MDAs should be by December 1, 2019. Here we are in April 2021, we are still owed,” Ezeibe said.

“We expect to have a proper regulatory system to ensure that in polytechnics our members are owed, states where our members are not allowed to attend the mandatory retirement age and states where there are no government councils and all, we have proper regulatory instruments to put them in line.

“Because the state has to be the same. Education is of course on the concurrent list, but standardisation and regulation are on the exclusive list. This federal government through its own agencies prescribes standards.

“We expect the government to commit to the establishment of a National Polytechnics Commission, already the bill has passed through the first reading at the House of Representatives. But we want the government to commit in writing, that anytime the national assembly passes all of these processes, that this bill will be signed into law. If we have all of these, we’ll be good.”