Wednesday, November 27, 2024 -The Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Kaduna Polytechnic Chapter, Comrade Abubakar J. Abdullah, said the union will shut down all polytechnics nationwide by December 2 due to the Federal Government’s failure to meet its demands.
He explained that the union leadership issued a 15-day ultimatum to the
Federal Government on October 6, 2024, outlining pressing demands aimed at
resolving the systemic challenges that hinder the progress of polytechnics.
However, he said the government failed to address the issues.
Speaking at a news briefing on Tuesday, Nov. 26, in Kaduna, the chairman
listed some of the demands, including swift release of the second tranche of
the NEEDS Assessment Intervention fund, immediate implementation of the
approved 25/35% salary review across all public polytechnics, and the payment
of accrued arrears.
Other demands are the release and final resolution of the decades-long
arrears of CONTISS-15 migration for lower cadres, the release of outstanding
promotion arrears, addressing inadequate funding, and resolving the issue of
unpaid allowances.
“Regrettably, as we passed the deadline of this ultimatum, we are yet to
see the necessary actions from the Federal Government to address these pressing
demands. The silence and inaction have left us with no option but to consider
the possibility of a total shutdown of our institutions, scheduled for December
2nd, 2024, should our concerns remain unaddressed,” he said.
Comrade Abdullahi said the survival and quality of the educational
system hinged upon the government’s responsiveness.
He stated that the union believe that a strong education sector is vital
for the future of the nation and cannot afford to compromise on these issues
any longer.
He urged the Federal Government to engage in meaningful dialogue with the union and take decisive steps towards resolving these challenges.
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