Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has expressed satisfaction over the ongoing renegotiation of agreement with the Federal Government, saying there is lots of progress recorded so far on the matter.

The immediate past National President of the union, Anderson Ezeibe, in an exclusive interview with the Nigerian Tribune, said the Yayale Ahmed-led committee had, on behalf of the Federal Government, commenced renegotiation with the leadership of the union.

Giving background to the development, he said ASUP just like the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been on loggerheads for several years with the Federal Government.

Ezeibe mentioned that what ASUP is asking for are similar to that of ASUU and other unions in the tertiary education community in the country.

According to him, ASUP is asking for an upward review of members’ salaries, allowances and conditions of service.

“We are also asking for improved funding of polytechnic education, regulatory body and legal framework, removal of the long-existing dichotomy between bachelor’s degree and HND.

“We’re equally demanding better life for our retirees and many more.”

Ezeibe explained that the Yayale Ahmed-led committee had met severally with the union leadership on each of these demands with a substantial progress recorded.

According to him, we had earlier reached an agreement with the Federal Government in 2017 but midway, we couldn’t get any tangible thing out of it because of suspension of governing councils with no new ones constituted for a long time back then.

“So, we later moved to the review of the agreement because of many changes that had taken place in the economy.

“Then in October last year, we were referred to the Yayale Ahmed-led committee to renegotiate with us as it is doing with every other unions in tertiary schools and since then we have been meeting with positive result.

“So, we have already submitted our demands and position on each of them with the committee and we hope that very soon, we will have a new agreement signed by both parties just like that of ASUU.” (TRIBUNE)

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