The National President of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Anderson Ezeibe, has said members will continue the nationwide indefinite strike until their demands are met by the Federal Government.
He spoke at the weekend at an emergency congress at the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi in Edo State, as part of his visits to polytechnics in the country for sensitisation and to ascertain the level of compliance with the strike.
Ezeibe hailed ASUP members for complying with the directive to embark on the strike, which he noted had yielded positive responses from the Federal Government by appointing and inaugurating governing councils for polytechnics across the country, setting up visitation panels and reinstating some dismissed members.
He said the payment of N15billion for infrastructure at the polytechnics and allowances, among others, were still pending.
The national president expressed concern about the appointment of unqualified rectors for polytechnics, which he noted was against the polytechnic’s act, stressing that to qualify to be appointed as a rector, the person must be a chief lecturer, with a minimum of five years’ experience in any polytechnic.
He denied the alleged N20billion collectively owned by 19 polytechnics’ workers as tax liability, pointing out that the money had been deducted through the Pay as You Earn (PAYE) and paid to the state internal revenue boards where they exist.
Ezeibe vowed that the union would resist any attempt by the relevant authorities to deduct such money again from the workers.