ASUP and ASUU on strike: Government’s Insincerity – Polytechnic Don

There seems to be no respite in sight for students of public polytechnics in the country as the lingering disagreement between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has now entered its third month.

A member of the National Executive Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP), Gani Akinleye has blamed the current industrial action in Nigerian tertiary institutions on the insecurity of the government in keeping agreements.

ASUP embarked on an indefinite strike on April 29 to demand the implementation of the new salary structure and the release of the White Paper on the visitation to federal polytechnics more than a year after the exercise, among other demands. Presently, there are no negotiations or talks going on between the two parties as the last meeting held on June 14 ended in a deadlock.

This has led the union to accuse the federal government of indifference to the nationwide strike with a lack of political will to resolve the issues raised by the union.

Also, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had on Monday resumed the strike it suspended in January 2011 following the federal government’s failure to implement the agreement it reached with the lecturers.