The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), has commenced an indefinite strike following the failure of the federal government to implement its demands. Addressing a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja, the ASUP President, Anderson Ezeibe, said academic activities had been shut shown in all polytechnics and monotechnics across the country from 12am, April 6.
He said the polytechnics will remained closed until the federal government meets the union’s demands.
The ASUP President said the strike became imperative after the expiration of an ultimatum issued to the federal government in March 2020 to revamp the poor state of polytechnics and monotechnics in the country.
He maintained that ASUP had clearly made its demands known to the federal and state ministries of education, state governors and other relevant bodies, lamenting that nothing was done to address the issues raised.
According to him, some of the union’s demands include,”non-implementation of the 2014 NEEDS Report and non-release of revitalisation funds to the sector despite assurances since 2017.
“Our grievances also include the non-reconstitution of governing councils in federal polytechnics and many state-owned institutions leading to the disruption of governance and administrative processes in the institutions since May, 2020”.
This, according to him, has also undermined the renegotiation of the union’s 2010 agreement with the government which he alleged, was unilaterally suspended by the government for over two years now.
