Polytechnic lecturers in Nigeria at the weekend said they would not hesitate to shut down the sector without notice since the government had refused to address issues undermining the development and progress of the polytechnic sub-sector.
The union had earlier in March 2020 issued a 15- day ultimatum for the government to address the issues but it could not take effect because of COVID-19 pandemic.
The lecturers under the aegis of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) at the end of her National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja also directed the union chapters to hold their congresses between October 12 and October 15, 2020 to deliberate on the proposed action.
In a letter signed by the General Secretary, Comrade H. S. Kpanja, dated October 6th, 2020 and addressed to the chapters, the union said the contentious issues includes the refusal of the government to conclude the FGN/ASUP 2010 agreement renegotiation, non release of the agreed revitalisation fund for the sector and the implementation of the NEEDS assessment report of 2014.
Others are nonpayment of salaries in the following states: Abia, Edo, Imo, Osun, Ondo, Kogi, Benue, and Ogun states, non payment of the arrears of the consequential adjustment in salaries from the new minimum wage effective April, 2019 for federal institutions as well as the non-implementation of the new minimum wage in 34 states.
The letter read in part: “The deliberate and gross abuse of the Federal Polytechnics Act (2019 Amendment). 6, continued victimisation of officials of ASLIP in (MT Enugu, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Federal Polytechnic, Mubi and Yaba College of Technology, Unilateral suspension of the Rapid Response Committee leading to the stagnation in the resolution of the following items: arrears of CONTISS 15 migration for the lower cadre, release of promotion arrears, release of amended scheme of service and conditions of service for the sector and identified challenges in the implementation of the IPPIS in the sector.
“NEC resolved that chapter congresses should be convened nationwide between 12th to 16th of October to educate/mobilise members on the status of the issues as well as seek a resolution to commence nationwide industrial action without any further warning. It is therefore expected that each congress shall take a position and submit the same in writing to the NEC of the union when it reconvenes.”
