The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has suspended its two-month-old strike, vowing to resume it if the Federal Government fails to implement agreements reached with the union in 2017.
This was as Academic Staff Union of Universities suspended its strike on February 7, 2019 after a three-month old strike.
Addressing journalists at the end of its emergency NEC meeting on Tuesday in Abuja, Usman Dutse, ASUP national president, directed members of the union to commence academic activities on Wednesday.
The lecturers embarked on an indefinite nationwide strike on December 12, 2018.
The strike was over the non-implementation of the 2009 and 2017 agreements reached with the union by the federal government, non-payment of allowances, victimisation of union members, among others.
While briefing journalists, the national president of ASUP, Usman Dutse, said the request for a revitalisation fund of N15 billion had been met by Adamu Adamu, the Minister of Education.
A report monitored by Premium Times indicated “It is expected that the funds shall be available for disbursement to deserving institutions by April 2019. Equally, the approval of the NEEDS ASSESSMENT report shall be pursued with all diligence to ensure a sustained intervention in the infrastructure and other needs of our institutions,” Mr Dutse said.
On salary shortfall, promotion arrears and allowances, Mr Dutse said the union ”was informed of the release of N16.7 billion covering agencies of government, including affected polytechnics cleared by the Presidential Initiative for Continuous Audit for shortfalls and promotion arrears”.
“A circular had also been released to all rectors conveying increased personnel funding for 2019 and directing the payment of full salaries and allowances in polytechnics. A schedule from the office of the Federal Ministry of Finance containing institutions contained in phase 1 of the shortfall refund payments has been released.
”Our union notes that 11 institutions from the sector are cleared to receive funds from the approved tranche. Our union has been reassured that the next phase will contain more institutions,” he said.
Mr. Dutse said it was agreed that the documents currently before the Head of Civil Service of the Federation ”be retrieved, reviewed to address the concerns of our union and presented to the board of the NBTE before the end of March 2019 for approval”.
