By Gabriel Dike and Jude Owuamanam, Jos
Academic activities in federal and state polytechnics have been paralyzed following a strike by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) to press home the implementation of their demands.
ASUP had, at a resolution reached at the union’s 112th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, warned it would withdraw the services of all academic and non-staff across Nigeria’s polytechnic system effective December 2, 2024, for a definite period of two weeks in the first instance.
The first day of the two-week strike crippled academic activities as lecturers stayed away from the lecture halls in compliance with the national directive.
Some branches in the South East could not start the strike because of the sit-at-home observed in the five eastern states.
At Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), lecturers after their congress stopped work and many left the campus.
Chairman of ASUP YABATECH branch, Ojo Monday, confirmed his members are on strike in line with NEC directive. He said the college management has been informed of the national directive.
According to him, the two-week warning is to send a signal to the Federal Government to meet the union’s demands.
A former chairman of ASUP, Federal Polytechnic, Offa, told Daily Sun that members complied with the NEC directive and management is aware of the industrial action.
Former ASUP chairman, Abia State Polytechnic, said due to the sit-at-home, polytechnic lecturers might not start strike as directed.
Another former ASUP chairman at Federal Polytechnic Mubi confirmed lecturers are on strike in compliance with the NEC directive and that the management is aware of the industrial action.
The immediate president of ASUP, Anderson Ezeibe, said NEC asked members to embark on strike because the government has not given due attention to polytechnics.
Ezeibe said NEC gave the government 15 15-day ultimatum in October 2024 and met with government officials and an action plan was designed.
He said only two issues were addressed and the remaining issues have been abandoned prompting ASUP to give the government a 15-day ultimatum.
In Plateau State, the polytechnic in Barkin Ladi, Jos and all allied institutions, including the College of Health Technology, Zawan, and its counterpart in Pankshin and College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies, Kurgwi were shut.
Chairman of ASUP in Plateau State, Samuel Mahanan Dang, told Daily Sun in Jos that the chapter had no option but to abide by the directive of the national body since the Federal Government has remained adamant about the union’s demands.
Demands of ASUP include violation of the Federal Polytechnics Act, non-review of the contentious and suspended document, entitled: Schemes of Service for Polytechnics and Conditions of Service, non-release of the NEEDS Assessment intervention funds for 2023, usurpation of Academic Board function by NBTE on the admission of HND candidate, non-capturing of the Peculiar Academic Allowance of members for sustained payment in the planned post IPPIS era.
Others are refusal of most state-owned polytechnics to implement the 35 per cent/25 per cent salary review for members and non-release of the arrears of same in federal polytechnics, non-release/resolution of the owed CONTISS 15 migration arrears to members in the lower cadre, non-conclusion of the FGN/ASUP 2010 agreement renegotiation process, non-conduct of promotion exercises in some state institutions and non-release of promotion arrears in both federal and state-owned institutions and the intimidation of elected union officials by the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede and the non-release of the appointment of rectors in Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa, Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas, Bonny Island, Federal Polytechnic, Oko and Federal Polytechnic, Ukana even though the processes have since been concluded.