Polytechnic Lecturers To Commence Nationwide Strike In May

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has announced a plan to embark on an industrial strike.

The academic union in a statement obtained by newsmen said the nationwide shut down of Polytechnics will begin May 11, 2022.

Naija News recalls that ASUP National President, Anderson Umezurike Ezeibe, had hinted about the industrial action in early February this year.

Ezeibe who was addressing members of the union at Hussain Adamu Federal Polytechnic, Kazaure, said the union had called off its strike on June 10th 2021 based on agreements it reached with the Federal Government.

In a report, however, emerging on Tuesday (today), ASUP declared it will commence another nationwide strike action in protest against the non-implementation of the Memorandum of Action reached with the Federal Government in May 2021.

The Zonal Coordinator of Zone D, which comprises of South-South and South-East states, Precious Nwakodo, disclosed this at a press briefing held in Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State, on Monday.

According to Nwakodo, the planned strike was hinged on the yet-to-be-met demands among which are; the non-release of the N15billion Revitalisation Fund approved over a year for the sector to address infrastructural deficit as contained in the 2014 Needs Assessment Report.

“Following the discouraging response of the government to the one month notice of ultimatum which ended five days ago, May 4 the NEC of the union will be meeting in two days in Abuja to review the situation and make a decision on the planned strike,” Nwakodo said.

ASUP bemoaned the incumbent government for failing to commence payment of 10 months arrears of the new minimum wage after three years of signing the bill into law, stressing that many states of the federation were yet to implement the new minimum wage in the various institutions.

It also decried the manner in which the management of the Polytechnics and Ministry of Education had continued to take actions that were clearly in contrast with the provisions of the law.

Nwakodo challenged the Federal and state governments to act swiftly to the demand of the academic staff to avoid a strike in the interest of the students and parents.

He also appealed to members of the chapter to support the decision of the national body on the planned strike, adding that the planned strike was a collective decision and in the best interest of members and the polytechnic sector.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of ASUP, Auchi Polytechnic Chapter, Lawani Jimoh, had earlier assured that the Auchi chapter would comply with the strike.

“For us at Auchi Polytechnic, our members are committed to the strike as long as the directive is from the national body,” Jimoh said.

ASUP’s latest strike threat is coming at a time the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU further extended its lingering strike for another 12 weeks.

Naija News reports that ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, in a statement, said the extension was to give the federal government enough time to satisfactorily resolve all the outstanding issues.

It also stated that the roll-over strike was effective from 12.01 am, May 9, 2021.

The academic body noted the decision was taken after its National Executive Council meeting which started on Sunday night at the Comrade Festus Iyayi National Secretariat, University of Abuja.

The extension of the strike implies that public universities would remain close.