By Fidelis Jockthan
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics ASUP, Federal Polytechnic Mubi has suspended it’s planned Industrial action.
This development was announced by Chairman of the Union, Comrade Kadala Solomon Bandi during it’s Congress held on Thursday,25th July 2024.
Comrade Kadala Solomon while briefing members said, the action was part of the resolution of National Executive Council of the Union during an emergency NEC meeting held on 22nd July 2024 in Abuja where all the chapters across the country were asked to demonized members from the planned Industrial action in recognition of the fact that the demands of the union were met substantially.
It can be recalled that ASUP had earlier issued a 15-day ultimatum to Federal Government following a resolution to that effect from the 8th of July 2024 and the issue in contention centered on Provisions in the new Scheme of Service Document released by the National Board of Technical Education NBTE on the 19th of June 2024.
The Union after thorough perusal of the document identified several Provisions that fundamentally altered the Tertiary Education Status of Polytechnics in Nigeria,most especially, the condemnable and agelong discrimination against holders of the Higher National Diploma Certificate, distorted employee relativity in the Nigeria Polytechnic System, Unnecessarily, expanding the overheads of the academic institutions among others.
The Union through a protest simultaneously by all the Chapters demanded the immediate suspension of the implementation of the contentious Provisions and the commencement of it’s thorough review through a stakeholders engagement process.
According to Kadala, the 15-day ultimatum was to provide the government ample time to address the union grievances and the leadership was quickly invited to a tripartite meeting with NBTE and Federal Ministry of Education on 19th July 2024 where it was resolved that the implementation of the flawed document be suspended and a review process be initiated inline with the demands of the Union.
He told the Congress that the document was suspended by the NBTE through a circular addressed to Chairmen Governing Councils,Rectors and Provosts of the instructions the same day.
The Unionist therefore appreciated the steadfastness of it’s members in the face of what he described as ‘unearned provocation’, the intervention of all the stakeholders involved.
He further thanked the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman and the Executive Secretary of NBTE as well as National Association of Polytechnic Students for amicable resolutions.
Solomon Bandi used the opportunity to appealed to the Polytechnic lecturers to update their IPPIS Bio-data being done presently by the office of Head of Service of the Federation.
Dr.Musa Adamu,a Chief Lecturer and Dr.Ngozi Umano,Dean, School of Communication and Information Technology while speaking to Newsmen on the development commendable the leadership of ASUP, the NBTE and the Minister of Education for employing dialogue in resolving the contentious issues.
