Nigeria's polytechnic lecturers begin indefinite strike

THE Academic Staff Union of
Polytechnics, ASUP, has commenced
an indefinite strike, following failure
of the federal and state
governments to implement
agreements on issues affecting
polytechnic education in the
country.
The indefinite strike declared,
Sunday, by the union, followed end
of a seven-day warning strike which
ended weekend.
Some of the issues in contention are
non-migration of members at the
lower cadres on CONTISS 15 salary
scale; release of white paper on the
visitation panel to federal
polytechnics; non-commencement
of needs assessment of Nigerian
polytechnics; worrisome state of
state-owned polytechnics/
monotechnics; and continued
appointment of unqualified persons
as rectors by some state
governments.
Others include failure of most state
governments to implement
approved salary packages
(CONPCASS) for polytechnics and 65
years retirement age; continued
recognition of the NBTE as a
regulatory body for Nigerian
polytechnics against the creation of
a national polytechnics commission;
and the snail speed associated with
the amendment of the Federal
Polytechnics Act, amongst others.
National President of ASUP, Mr
Chibuzor Asomugha, told Vanguard,
Sunday, that the indefinite strike
had become inevitable because the
meeting the union had with
Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, Senator Anyim Pius
Anyim, on the issues yielded no
positive results.
He said the strike would be called
off only when governments
addressed all issues raised by the
union, and urged all polytechnics
across the country to abide by the
directive to embark on strike.