ASUP Threatens to Embark on Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), on Wednesday, announced that it would embark on a nationwide one-week warning strike.

The union says it had already directed its members in all public polytechnics across the federation to fully comply.

Usman Dutse, ASUP president, made this known during a press conference in Abuja.

Dutse noted that all academic and administrative activities in Nigeria’s public polytechnics are to be suspended from 12 noon on January 30, to February 6, 2017.

“The union therefore resolved at the emergency meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC), held on the 25 January 2017 to embark on a one week warning strike effective 12 noon, January 30, 2017 to 6 February 2017 in the first instance.

“Members are therefore directed to ensure total compliance as no academic and administrative activity is expected in any public polytechnic across Nigeria within the period; and await further directives from the union’s organs.”

ASUP said it reached out to the government twice in 2016 to address the issues of poor infrastructure, poor funding of Nigerian polytechnics, among others, yet got no response.

The union said in spite of “the severity of the issues listed, government has not, within the intervening period demonstrated enough passion to address them.”

“We have demonstrated enough patience in deferring the decision since August 2016,” it added.