ASUP VOW TO RESUME STRIKE ON FRIDAY

The lecturers stated their position in a communiqué released on Saturday. 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
Chairman Clement Selchum