The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Zone C comprising of the South-West and Kwara State, on Monday, faulted the government for remaining silent over the 15-day strike ultimatum issued last week to address some of the issues affecting the polytechnic education in the country.

The leadership of ASUP condemned an alleged undue exercise of oversight function and interference of the National Board for Technical Education with respect to admission of students into the polytechnics in the country.

The union urged Its members to get set for the struggle ahead should the government fail to respond to its demands after the 15 days ultimatum issued on October 7, would have lapsed

The ASUP Coordinator of Zone C, Comrade Adekunle Masopa disclosed this at a press briefing held at Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic, Ijebu Igbo.

Masopa said that it was unfair for the government to have kept mute since last week when the union issued the ultimatum saying that the lecturers would definitely not have to be blamed should they decide to embark on strike at the expiration of the ultimatum.

The Zonal Coordinator berated the government for not showing enough support for the polytechnic education which has the mandate and capacity to drive the technological advancement of the country saying that the union would however not fold its hand and watch the collapse of this crucial sector of our national development.

He said that the Issues of concern to the unions include the failure of the National Board for Technical Education to comply with resolutions reached in July 2024 between NBTE and ASUP on the contentious reviewed scheme of service, undue oversight function and usurpation of the power vested on the Academic Board of various institutions by NBTE with respect to the admission of students into the Higher National Diploma programmes

Others are non-payment of promotion arrears spanning between three to five years in Federal Polytechnics and recurring delays in implementation of promotion in state Polytechnics, non-implementation of 25/35% consequential salary adjustment which takes effect from January 2023 with available information revealing that the Southwest and Kwara States are yet to implement this while the federal government has one-year arrears of January to December 2023 among others.

Masopa said that to avert this looming strike ?The government must resume active duty and commitment to the resolutions of the tripartite meeting held in July 2024 on 2023 reviewed scheme of service.

?There must be immediate implementation of the 25/35 per cent consequential salary adjustment in state polytechnics from January 2023 as well as payment of the one-year arrears of this salary adjustment to Federal institutions without further delay.

?ASUP requests NBTE to desist from usurping the power of statutory bodies, particularly the Academic Board, with respect to admission of students at any level. Immediate payment of all outstanding promotion arrears.?

Other demands of the union include payment of all outstanding promotion arrears, payment of CONTISS 15 migration arrears said to have been owed for a decade, constitution of governing councils by Oyo State government for its polytechnics, disbursement of 2023 NEEDS Assessment intervention funds, request for NBTE to desist from unnecessary interference with respect to students admission among others

Masopa disclosed that according to the directive of the NEC of ASUP, the union should begin to sensitise its members to the imminent strike.

He said that ?In the interest of peace and harmony, the union calls on the government to urgently address all these issues within the 15 days ultimatum as resolved by the NEC of our union at its 111th meeting to avoid further union actions.?

Present at the meeting were Chairmen of both federal and state-owned polytechnics from Southwest and Kwara States. (The PUNCH)

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