By Gabriel Dike
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has decried the non-implementation of the union’s demands, including the non-release of N15 billion revitalisation fund and infractions in the process of appointing principal officers in federal and state polytechnics.
It also frowned at the lethargic approach towards the implementation of some items in the signed Memorandum of Action (MoA) despite the three month suspension corridor granted by the union.
The National Executive Council (NEC) took the decisions at its 101st Regular meeting held at the Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, Ogun State, where the report of the implementation of the MoA was received and discussed.
In the NEC resolution, ASUP said it would not give the Federal Government further warning if it decided on its next line of action.
Publicity Secretary of the union, Abdullahi Yalwa, in a statement, said NEC decried the non-release of minimum wage arrears to staff of federal polytechnics and several state-owned polytechnics, non-release of the approved N15 billion revitalisation fund for the sector more than three months after the approval, non-commencement of the renegotiation of the union’s 2010 agreement despite the reconstitution of Governing Councils, and continued non-payment of salaries in several state-owned institutions.
ASUP equally expressed dismay at recent reports of infractions in the appointment of principal officers in federal polytechnics and some state-owned polytechnics in disregard of extant provisions in establishment laws.
Yalwa said the union particularly noted the events at Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe, where the process of appointment of Rector was flawed from inception leading to the shortlisting of unqualified persons, Federal Polytechnics, Offa and Mubi where the process had been tainted by the deliberate exclusion of qualified persons, and at the federal polytechnics in Oko, Offa, Auchi and Kaura Namoda where council affairs were being relocated to the Federal Capital Territory without due consideration to the cost implication on the institutions, safety of staff and sensitive documents as well as general administration of the affected institutions.
Yalwa said NEC urged the Federal Government to revisit the appointment processes for principal officers in Federal Polytechnics Ekowe, Offa, and Mubi to ensure strict compliance with the provisions of the Federal Polytechnics Act and stop the emerging trend of exporting governing council meetings and activities to the FCT by some councils in the sector.
ASUP said it had resolved to deepen its consultation on the next steps and warned that there would be no further warnings if government failed to do the needful.