THE President of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Anderson Ezeibe, has said the union embarked on indefinite strike due to sorry state of polytechnics and monotechnics in the country.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, Ezeibe asserted that the strike had become neccessary as a result of the expiration of the ultimatum ASUP issued in March 2020.
According to him, academic activities had been shut shown in all polytechnics and allied institutions nationwide with effect from 12 a.m on Tuesday.
He stated that the decision to withdraw services was reached at the union’s 99th National Executive Council (NEC) in Katsina State a fortnight ago, disclosing that the union’s demands were communicated to the Federal ministries of Education, Labour and Employment as well as the governors without any positive response.
Ezeibe listed the lecturers’ grievances to include non-implementation of 2014 NEEDS Report and non-release of revitalisation fund to the sector despite assurances since 2017.
Others, he said, are alleged victimisation of union officials, non-establishment of a commission to bridge regulatory gaps in the sector, non-implementation of the approved 65 years as the retirement age by some state governments, claims of purported tax liabilities, and opaque operations in the deployment of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
