ASUP vows to continue strike despite FG’s payment of #15billion infrastructure revatilisation fund

The National President of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Mr. Anderson Ezeibe has assured the Union’s resolve to continue their indefinite strike action embarked upon by the union.

The ASUP president stated this yesterday during an emergency congress meeting at the federal polytechnic Auchi as part of his visit to polytechnics in the country.

Mr. Ezeibe who commended members of the polytechnic union for complying with the directive to embark on nationwide strike acton of ASUP, said that until the federal government met all the demands, the strike will continue.

He, however stated that the strike has yielded some positive responses from the federal government by appointing and inaugurating Governing Councils for polytechnics across the country and offer to pay #15 billion revitilazation of infrastructures in polytechnics.

The president expressed concern over the appointment of unqualified Rectors for polytechnics against the polytechnic’s act, adding that to be qualify for rector, such a person must be a Chief lecturer with at least minimum of five years in any of the polytechnic.

Mr. Ezeibe further denied the alleged #20 billion collectively owned by 19 polytechnics staff as tax liability saying that such money have been deducted through pay as you earn (PAYE) and paid to state internal revenue where they exist and vowed that the union would resist any attempt by relevant authority to deduct money from staff.

The president urged members of the union to take their job seriously, according to him, whoever is being elected as Head of department should take the responsibility of the department without blaming the rector while the rector should as well take the responsibility of the polytechnic without blaming the governing council for wrong decision.

On his part, the chairman of ASUP, Auchi Polytechnic Chapter, Mr. Lawani Jimoh thanked the national president for coming to the polytechnic to reassure its members of the need for corporation.

Mr. Lawani said that Auchi polytechnic is committed to continue with the strike until there is a directives from the national body.