The Honorable Minister for Education, Adamu Adamu, has scheduled an emergency meeting with members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) over its planned nationwide strike.
This is in reaction to the pressure group’s insistence to go on a nationwide strike from April 6, over what they described as unresolved issues with the Federal Government and some states.
According to the statement by the Federal Ministry of Education, the Minister said the aim of the meeting is to prevent the nationwide strike.
“Explaining the reason for the emergency meeting. The Minister said, the meeting is intended to nip the strike in the bud.””
The emergency meeting is scheduled to hold Tuesday, 6th April, 2021 by 11:00 a.m. at the Ministry head quarters, Abuja.
WHY ASUP PLANS TO GO ON A NATIONWIDE STRIKE
ASUP President, Anderson Ezeibe, has earlier reiterated the group’s plan to commence the strike due to the government’s failure to resolve some lingering issues affecting members of the Union.
“Because of the general lockdown in the wake of COVID-19 last year, we could not go on strike again. When we resumed around October last year, our national executive council resolved to press for these demands. However, aside from the issues that prompted us to want to go on strike, other matters have cropped up. Yet none of the original issues have been resolved conclusively. It is the obvious government is not serious. Ordinarily, they will tell you that there is no money, but what about issues that do not require financial intervention?
“Federal Polytechnics in the country have no governing councils since May last year. So, what it means is that approval of staff appraisal activities cannot be carried out. Principal officers cannot be appointed because such requires the approval of governing councils,” Ezeibe added.
He also mentioned that “…there is the issue of Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). The issue of the third-party deduction is still there unresolved. They deduct money for cooperative societies, which are not remitted. So, we have many issues that are unresolved and the government is just paying lip service.”
