ASUP Vows To Start Nationwide Indefinite Strike On December 12

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has announced that the Union will embark on an indefinite strike on December 12 if the Federal Government does not make good on their agreement.

The National President Of ASUP, Usman Dutse disclosed this while speaking with newsmen at a press conference. He also disclosed that the Federal Government has failed to meet the demands of the Polytechnic Lecturers of Nigeria which mainly the need for an increased funding in Polytechnics across Nigeria.

Earlier this year on October 2, ASUP issued a 21-day warning to the Federal Government to meet the demands of the Union, the Union later extended the warning to November with hopes of getting a better offer from the Federal Government.

With this new declaration of a strike by ASUP, it implies that both the Public Polytechnic and University system will be shut down as ASUU has been on strike for over a month and are yet to reach an agreement with the Federal Government.

Mr Dutse also lamented that the various State Governments and the National Assembly are not making efforts to make things better as both arms of the Government has decided to remain silent on the issue of increasing funding for the education sector.

He also revealed that the bill meant to review the act on the establishment of polytechnics in the country was yet to be passed by the National Assembly. He said the union was hoping that the strike would also help fast-track its passage.

Below is an extract of his statement;

“The institutions are not funded. The states are even worse because state governments just establish schools without actually funding those schools. So, no infrastructure is in place,” he added.

“We have states that are owing about 14 month salaries. Some owe eight months. Benue, Ogun, Osun, Edo, Kogi are owing up to as long as 14 months,” he said.

The ASUP President stated that the proposed strike would be “total and indefinite”