Two months into its nationwide strike, the
Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP,
said yesterday that there was no going back on
its demands, insisting that unless all issues that
caused the strike were addressed, the action
would continue.
This came as the union rejected the
discriminatory cut-off points for candidates
seeking admission into Nigerian universities,
polytechnics and colleges of education and
called for harmonization of the cut-off points
into tertiary institutions in the country.
ASUP had called out its members on a
nationwide strike in protest against
government’s refusal to implement agreement
on bothering on welfare and other sundry
issues.
The union, after its 74th National Executive
Council, NEC, meeting at Federal Polytechnic,
Oko, Anambra State, expressed concern over
the non-chalant attitude of government
towards exercising the political will to meet
the demands which led to the strike.
It said the NEC appreciated the understanding
shown by students, parents and guardians over
the on-going strike and called on other
stakeholders to show similar understanding
and work with it towards strengthening the
polytechnic sector in Nigeria.
Calling on government to stop paying lip-
service to the technical education sector in the
country, the union demanded that polytechnic
education be properly and adequately funded.
It also condemned perceived discrimination
against polytechnic graduates at entry and
career progression in public service and
canvassed a level-playing ground for graduates
from the various tertiary institutions.
It further condemned the growing level of
corruption in the country’s public service,
asking government to be more proactive in
handling the challenges.
“NEC frowns at the leadership crisis rocking
the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, and calls
on the governors to conduct themselves in line
with democratic principles to safeguard the
political future of the nation”.
“NEC commends the steps so far taken by
Government in curbing the security challenges
in some states of the country and calls for
more efforts to be made to safeguard lives and
properties of the citizenry,” the union said.
On the new Income Tax, NEC called for an
immediate downward review of it to ameliorate
the sufferings of Nigerian workers.
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