Release Our N15bn Revitalisation Funds To Avoid Strike, ASUP Tells FG

The polytechnic lecturers in the country have again cautioned the Federal Government not to wait for them to embark on industrial action before releasing the agreed N15 billion as revitalisation funds into the nation’s public polytechnics.


The lecturers said their earlier stance not to give another warning strike before going into total and indefinite industrial action should the government refuse to release the funds and also meet other terms of their last agreement, subsists.


The President of their umbrella body, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Dr Anderson Ezeibe, gave this hint, on Wednesday, in an interview with Tribune Online when he was asked about the latest as regards the issue.


He said it was disheartening and unfortunate that the Federal Government could not honour what he called a simple and voluntary agreement seven months after.


According to him, we suspended our last industrial action that lasted about 65 days in April based on the agreement that the government had approved a sum of N15 billion to inject into the system but up till now seven months after the money has not been released.


“Approval letter that is not translated to real money is a mere paper and that is Nigeria government for you using the same tactic with other unions including ASUU and resident doctors,” he added.The ASUP boss said the union members are not happy with the way and manner the government is taking issues of public importance such as the implementation of items in their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) since April.


He said aside from N15 billion revitalisation funds which the government ought to have released by now according to him, the government is also expected to have released funds to pay the minimum wage arrears to members and other public polytechnic workers.


He said only one thing that government had been able to do are issues that do not involve money such as setting up of panel for renegotiation of their 2010 agreement and the appointment of governing councils while neglecting items that involved money.


Eziebe, however, said the union at the moment is preparing for its National Delegate Conference taking place in the first week of December. He said that is where they would take their next decision on the issue.