Speaking on behalf of the two unions concerning the expiration of the 3month relieve period earlier requested by the Federal Government to sort-out key demands of the Union, recently in Abuja, the President of ASUP, Dr Chibuzor Asomugha, reminded the government that their patience is running out
According to Asomugha, the unions are re-strategizing and re-considering available alternatives which include industrial action on seeking way forward over its suspended 10-month old strike.
Dr Asomugha who said the 3month expired on15th of October stressed that the Strike option is the most glaring alternative, adding that the National Executive Council of the Union would meet more on further deliberation.
The ASUP President added that the Union earlier met with the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics and Non Academic Staff Union on the way forward.
“Recently ASUP met with Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics and Non Academic Staff Union and we are beginning to strategize”
“Our understanding is that the Minister has been meeting with stakeholders who are directly involved in different area of our demands” he said
He said that the Union had made attempt to meet with the Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau on 13th of October and they were made to understand that he was building basis for the next meeting.
“In the interim of it we were to meet him on 13th of October but it did not hold we are hoping that by the time he invites us for another meeting we will discuss meaningfully”
“I would not be in a hurry to say there would be another strike neither is in a hurry to say there would not be”
“Students are becoming restive and Members of the Union are equally becoming restive and it is on this basis our union would not be in hurry to make a stand”
“while the Union is considering the fact that an almost one year old strike was just concluded ,the effect is still there and we are still battling to ameliorate the effect and the way it is we may have to meet some more among ourselves so as to determine which way to go”
“The only body of our union that can determine if there will be a strike is NEC its decision can only be made after we met with the Minister” he re-stated.
On the issue of dichotomy the ASUP President called on all Nigerians to come together and put in their efforts so as to have aggregate results in the implementation of the policy.
“Nobody is arguing about which one is superior or not, the issue is that what level of recognition is been given to HND certificate holders in terms of remuneration, advancement and placement and this is what the discrimination represents for us”
Dr Asomugha accused Policy makers of being responsible for the implementation of the dichotomy removal in the civil service saying that at the point of execution principal officers had introduced problem of sentiments on the issue.
“Several committees had sat and Government had had different directives and positions that up to 2006 there was a Federal executive directive that the dichotomy should be removed effectively with the Civil service”
“The issue is Implementation and this lies with the policymakers principally, people who are produced outside the polytechnic and what you see is that at the point of execution of policy they bring in sentiment s and this has been the problem in the Civil Service”
He called on parties to its implementation to look beyond ego and see how the removal would be for the good of the nation.
“The dichotomy issue is a multi stakeholder matter , ASUP at this point is spear heading the agitation involved parties include the National Assembly ,the Senate, Alumni association , students, Parents and the industry are all stakeholders as well as the employers of labor”
Meanwhile the government has reacted swiftly by urging the unions to be patient and give it more time to attend to the issues at stake.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Blueprint newspaper, the director tertiary education, in the federal Ministry of Education, Hajia Hindatu Abdullahi said that serious consultations and meetings are going on with all relevant stakeholders including personnel from the ministry of finance, salaries and wages commission, etc to sort things out once and for all
She said ‘’We shall soon meet with the union to let them know how far we have gone. Their demands had remained a top priority in the minister’s programme and he regularly puts it in the front burner every day. We are painstaking in other to ensure that mistakes are not repeated and that an enduring solution is found’’
The arguments by stakeholders, including students on the matter however remained that rather than embarking on another industrial action, the unions should vigorously explore the part of dialogue and negotiated settlement of all outstanding issues.
