Poly workers to embark two-week warning strike

From Benjamin Babine, Abuja

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) have disclosed that they will commence a two weeks warning strike from Monday 4, January 2021 following federal government inability to address her demands.

The union who disclosed this at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, said it will cripple activities in the nation’s polytechnic should go government faild to meet her demands.

The National President of SSANIP, Comrade Adebanjo Ogunsipe: “We want to state, without any avoidance of doubt, that we have a government that barely listens or attend to issues. We have a government that care less whether students are locked away from our various institutions and wasting away valuable time in their lives.

“We have a government that seems not to u understand any language even when you are pleading for what naturally you should be taken for granted as done and as we have applicable in other decent and well- ruled climes, the world over.

“Haven considered everything before us, the union resolved at the end of this meeting that at the first instance we are embarking on a 14 – days strike in the first instance, commencing from Monday 4th of January, 2021.

“We will come back and assess and if the only way and the only system and process that will ensure that things are properly done in the polytechnic system is to shutdown the whole polytechnic thereafter, we will not hesitate to do so.”

Some of the demands of the polytechnic workers include the implementation of the NEEDS assessment report and release of funds for polytechnic sector; release of scheme of service for the polytechnic immediately; non-payment of complete salaries and arrears of minimum wage for staff of polytechnics and the reconstitution of the Governing Councils of all Federal and State Polytechnics.

He added: “The union wish to make it categorically clear to the federal and state governments that continued failure to take action on all of the issues above will leave us with no option than to take drastic action to see to the implementation of these demands.”