Strike: FG ignores Poly lecturers – As strike enters second month

The Federal Government has ignored the strike
action embarked upon by the Academic Staff
Union of Federal Polytechnics in Nigeria eight
weeks ago.


Since the strike action, which paralysed
academic activities in all the Federal Polytechnics
in Nigeria, the Federal Government appeared
insensitive both to the plight of the lecturers and that of the students.

The union which issued a 21-day ultimatum on
March 25, is asking the Federal Government to
look into many of its demands.
The ultimatum expired on April 22 with
subsequent declaration of a one-week warning
strike and an indefinite strike on April 29.
THE LEADER could not confirm whether the
government is negotiating with the union in
camera as nothing in the public domain
suggests that the government is moved by the
work-to-rule action.
The Minister for Education, Prof. (Mrs.)
Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai, who attended the 17th
Convocation of the Federal Polytechnic Nekede
Owerri recently kept mute over the strike action.
A lecturer in one of the affected polytechnics
told THE LEADER that the government’s action
was not a surprise, because they are not
interested in polytechnic education.
“If it were the university lecturers that were on
strike for this long, the Federal Government
would have given them a listening ear and made
efforts to end the strike”, he said.
Several attempts to talk to the Chairman of
ASUP, Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Dr. Uzoma
Ibeaja were not successful as his telephone was
switched off.
The National President of ASUP, Chibuzor
Asomugha had vowed that the strike action
would not be called off unless The Federal
Government met their demands.
Among other things, the union is calling for the
release of the White Paper on the visitation
panel to Federal Polytechnics.
Mr. Asomugha said the polytechnic sector in the
country’s education system had groaned under
myriads of problems for long adding that this
had hampered the creation of a “viable platform
for the sector to grow.”
“We are faced with feeble and moribund
infrastructure on our campuses, with no serious
challenge to motivate research and learning.
Government’s budgetary provisions for the
polytechnic sector in Nigeria reflect a deep
neglect of the sector.
“The indicators of this abysmal neglect are as
strong as reflected in the 2012 budget. As I
address you today, only one of our demands,
that is, the Constitution of Governing Councils
has been partially met.
“There is no genuine effort towards addressing
the rest, beyond bureaucratic rectories”, he
said.
Chief among the issues for which the union
went on strike are – abrogation of the National
Board for Technical Education as the regulatory
body of Nigerian Polytechnic to be replaced with
National Polytechnics Commission (NPC); effect
the migration policy of lower cadre office on
CONTISS 15 Salary scale; continued appointment
of unqualified persons as Rectors and Provosts
by some State governments; refusal of most
state governments to implement the approved
salary package (CONPCASS) for their members as
well as the 65 years retirement age.

Source: theleaderassumpta