Polytechnics Lecturers Agrees To End Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has agreed to end its strike.

The union agreed to end its strike at a meeting organized by the Joint Committee on Education of the National Assembly.

The joint committee organized the meeting to resolve the faceoff between the Federal Government, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), and ASUP.

The Minister of Education, Rukayat Rufai and the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chukwuemeka Nwogu were present at the meeting.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, Uche Chukwumerije who chaired the joint sitting asked the unions to end this impasse which has grounded tertiary institutions across the country.

The President of ASUP, Chibuzor Asomugha said that the polytechnic lecturers would do all within their powers to call off the strike as soon as possible.

He said: “Our meeting with the Senate Committee on Education was successful. There was an agreement to meet our demands in the next two weeks as the request will be presented to President Goodluck Jonathan for his approval.”

He said that the Senate however, pleaded that the union should call-off their strike and give it some time to convey their demands to the President.

Mr Asumogba, who noted that he cannot unilaterally call off the strike based on government’s promise added, “We will determine when to call off our industrial action after our NEC meeting slated in two weeks.”

According to him, ASUP demands waiting for presidential approval include; implementation of the Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure, the Consolidated Polytechnic and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure (CONPCASS), package, the appointment of the governing council and the issuance of the White Paper on same.

However the meeting between the joint committee and ASUU which was also scheduled did not hold.