The Academic Staff Union of
Polytechnics, ASUP, announced on
Saturday that it has resolved to
resume its suspended nationwide
strike from next week, following
failure of the federal government to
fulfil its agreement with the union.
The union had been on several weeks
of strike, but suspended it on July 17
following the intervention of federal
lawmakers in its negotiation with the
federal government.
The National Publicity Secretary of the
union, Chirman Clement, in a
statement on Saturday said the union
took the decision at her 75th National
Executive Council (NEC) meeting held
at the Federal Polytechnic Bida, Niger
State and resolved to resume the
suspended strike on October 4.
“In view of the continued insincerity of
Government to honour the agreement
reached with ASUP, NEC resolves that
the union will resume the suspended
strike with effect from 4th October,
2013.
The lecturers also lamented the
decaying standard of polytechnic
education and solicited the assistance
of the National Assembly, parents, and
other notable groups to assist in
revamping polytechnic education in
Nigeria.
They passed a vote of no confidence on
the National Board for Technical
Education, NBTE, and called for the
immediate establishment of a National
Polytechnics Commission (NPC) to
proactively cater for the needs of the
sector.
Below is the full communiqué released
by the polytechnic lecturers.
COMMUNIQUE OF THE 75TH
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
(NEC) OF THE ACADEMIC STAFF
UNION OF POLYTECHNICS (ASUP)
HELD AT FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC,
BIDA NIGER STATE, FROM 24 – 28TH
SEPTEMBER, 2013 PREAMBLE:
The National Executive Council (NEC)
of the Academic Staff Union of
Polytechnics (ASUP) met for her 75th
NEC Meeting at the Federal
Polytechnic Bida, Niger State where
the following national issues were
observed, discussed, and resolutions
on them were reached:
OBSRVATIONS:
1. The frustrating inertia of the
Federal Government to convincingly
fulfill any of the promises and
agreements reached with the union
before the suspension of the strike on
17th July, 2013 on CONTISS 15
Migration for Lower cadres, Needs
Assessment of Polytechnics, release of
Whitepaper of visitation to Federal
polytechnics, discrimination between
polytechnics and university graduates
in job placement and career
progression and the constitution of
Governing Councils to Federal
polytechnics earlier omitted.
2. The anti-labour stance of the
National Assembly as exemplified by
the recently proposed removal of
minimum wage from the exclusive
legislative list of the constitution to the
concurrent list; as well as the proposed
legislation against declaration of
Industrial Strike by unions in the
tertiary sector;
3. The growing tension in the nation’s
polity as a result of the volatile
comments and activities of politicians
and interest groups;
4. Government’s abuse of the laws
establishing TETfund;
5. The culpable lack of commitment of
the National Board for Technical
Education (NBTE) to meeting the needs
and demands of polytechnic education
in Nigeria.
6. Appointment of rectors/provosts
from within polytechnic/monotechnics
sector
RESOLUTIONS:
In the light of the
above, NEC resolves:
1. That Government should without
delay address all the outstanding
standing issues including the NEEDS
Assessments of the polytechnics and
the corresponding funding,
constitution of the Governing Councils
of the remaining Federal polytechnics,
CONITSS 15 Migration of the Lower
Cadres, the removal of disparity
between HND and Degree certificates,
establishment of the National
Polytechnics Commission (NPC),
release of the Whitepaper of the
visitation panels to polytechnics;
2. That the National Assembly should
rescind from its current anti-labour
posture in the interest of industrial
peace and our desperate move to
rescue the endangered soul of the
tertiary institutions in the country;
3. That the National Assembly should
expedite action on the review of the
Polytechnic Act;
4. That a vote of no confidence be
passed the NBTE and further calls for
the immediate establishment of a
National Polytechnics Commission
(NPC) to proactively cater for the
needs of the sector;
5. That the Nigerian political class and
other interest groups should exercise
restraint on their utterances and
activities in the interest of peace, unity
and security of the nation;
6. That the Federal Government
should desist from abuse of TETfund
laws;
7. That stakeholders in the education
sector such as parents, students,
religious leaders, the press, members
of States and National assemblies to
rise to their responsibilities of
rescuing the (polytechnic) education
sector from imminent collapse;
8. That the position of ASUP on the
need to appoint the rectors from
within the polytechnic system remains
irreversible;
9. That in view of the continued
insincerity of Government to honour
the agreement reached with ASUP,
NEC resolves that the union will
resume the suspended strike with
effect from 4th October, 2013. NEC
sincerely appreciates the good people
of Nigeria and all other stakeholders in
the education sector for their
sustained support in its struggles to
save the polytechnic education from
total collapse in Nigeria.
Signed
Chirman Clement Selchum
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