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Nationwide Strike Continues, Says ASUP

Published

2 years ago

May 7, 2021

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has vowed not to shelve its indefinite strike until the Federal Government meets its demands.

The labour union made this known in an address by its National President, Mr Anderson Ezeibe, on Friday at an emergency congress held at the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi in Edo.

As reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the union embarked on the strike action on April 6 due to unmet demand such as the implementation of the ASUP/Federal Government agreement of 2010, and payment of salaries and arrears of the new minimum wage in some state-owned polytechnics.

Others demands are the implementation of the NEEDS Assessment Report of 2014 and reconstitution of governing councils of polytechnics.

Ezeibe commended members of the union for complying with the strike directive, saying that the industrial action would the union achieve the purpose of the action.

He said, “Our members should continue to believe in the union the way they have been doing, we have very supportive members as you can see; the strike is in full swing.

“Every polytechnic is observing the strike and compliance level is very high, we will continue to persevere, victory is around the corner,’’ he said.

“It is true that the government has started doing something. The one that has been done is the issue of governing councils that have been reconstituted and the visitation panels that have been set up.

“Offers have been made for the payment of arrears of minimum wage and the N15 billion infrastructure revitalisation fund; they are still at the level of offer because the funds have not been released.

“We want to see the funds released for the sector and we want to see some other items that require processes to be put in motion.

“If we are able to get to that point, I am sure our national executive committee will take a second look at the strike,’’ he said.

Ezeibe denied the allegations that 19 polytechnic members were owing taxes valued at N20 billion, stating that Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax are usually deducted direct form the source.

The union leader said that the members would resist any attempt to deduct same from staff salaries.

“We are not owing this money and therefore are going to resist any attempt to deduct any money from our salaries to go and satisfy such a bill,’’ he said.