ASUP To FG: Address NEEDS Assessment For Polytechnics To Avert Crisis

BY TEMI OHAKWE, ABUJA – The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has challenged the Federal Ministry of Education to as a matter of urgent national importance, address the content of the NEEDS Assessment study of polytechnics since 2014.

This is as it called on the Minister of Education to intervene in some of the key lingering issues threatening the sector in order to avert industrial actions.

President of the Association, Mr. Anderson Ibe, who stated these when he led a delegation on a visit to the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja on Tuesday, outlined 10-point items affecting the growth of the sector, stressing that the timely intervention of the minister would go a long way to rescue the sector from avoidable strikes.

Ibe equally called on the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Education to take into consideration the gradual reopening of schools, saying that it is pertinent to bring forth the issues to be addressed to forestall chaos in the sector.

He further said; “We the leadership of ASUP appeals that the ministry urgently intervenes in some lingering issues in the sector which is currently threatening the sector.

“No single polytechnic has benefited from funds meant to address the content of the NEEDS Assessment exercise. The intent will be defeated if the polytechnics do not get the implementation.

“President Muhammadu Buhari signed the minimum wage effect from April 2019 and up till now, polytechnics in Nigeria are owed 10 months despite different levels of interventions from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and the rest.

“Only two states have the minimum wage bill implemented – Kano and Jigawa. No implementation has been made in other states. We also have states where members are owed 21 months and some not even paid during the lockdown,” Ibe said.

The ASUP President also identified other grey areas requiring attention to include non-adherence to the provisions of the polytechnics Act as amended in 2019 and therefore urged the Federal Ministry of Education to ensure that only persons with passion for education are appointed into the governing council of polytechnics.

Ibe further said; “Other issues include continued victimization of union officials as seen in IMT Enugu, Federal Polytechnic Mubi and Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo as well as fresh plans to victimize union officials at the Federal Polytechnic, Bida.

“Five officials of our union have been dismissed and we are also receiving signs that three other staff of the Federal Polytechnic, Bida is penciled down for dismissal. Continue victimization is not in the best interest of our union,” he said.

Responding, the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Chukuemeka Nwajuiba promised to look at the areas identified by the union with the hope of giving adequate attention to them within a week.

Nwajuiba said; “We are here to do what is right and in doing what is right, we will be guided by the extant laws and rules. We will not want to reply verbally because a lot of them bother on the issue of laws and rules. We want to ensure that our schools are safe which is key in understanding how we want to approach all our discussions.

“The primary purpose of existence is the development of manpower for our country. So, why that is the focus, we will take note of the 10 items”.

The minister therefore appealed to the ASUP officials not to lose focus but should encouraged their members to continue to contribute their quota to the development of Polytechnic education in the country.