From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Polytechnic lecturers on Thursday issued an ultimatum of 30 days to Delta State Government to review it’s position on the Salary Subvention Policy in the state owned polytechnics at Ogwashi-Uku and Otefe-Oghara.
The lecturers under the aegis of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) said the Salary Subvention Policy was capable of killing the state owned polytechnics.
Zonal Coordinator of ASUP for South-South and South-East,Comrade Precious Nwakodo handed down the ultimatum during a press conference in Ogwashi-Uku.
Flanked by local ASUP chairman of Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic, Comrade Joseph Iwezu, and other union leaders, Nwakodo said Delta State Government had refused to review its position on the policy but has continued to implement it, hence the ultimatum.
“Since the introduction of this policy in April 2022, staff of the institutions now receive salaries two-to-three weeks into the new month. The economic effect of this on the private lives of these workers who are indigenes of the state as well as their dependents are better imagined.
“This ugly trend has continued to worsen as the months pass, management of these institutions are finding it extremely difficult to raise several millions of naira monthly to augment what the government provides.
“If not checked now, these institutions will start owing staff salaries which may lead to the kind of situation we have in Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, where staff are owed up to 36 months arrears of salary
“However, the reality is that this policy will and has already started having serious adverse consequences on tertiary education in the state,” he said.
He said the policy is causing delay in the payment of salaries, adding that the policy would also lead to low staff morale, low quality of education and imminent staff rationalization.
He said “already there is high evidence of dearth of staff in the state-owned polytechnics. Staff inadequacy is a major problem in Delta polytechnics in Ogwashi-Uku and Otefe-Oghara.
“Resigned, retired and dismissed staff are yet to be replaced. This has left huge staff deficits in the institutions.”