ASUP withdraws strike ultimatum

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has reversed its decision to commence a strike action today following “fruitful” discussions with the Minister of Education, Ibrahim Shekarau and the House of Representatives Committee on Education.

ASUP held a two-hour meeting with Shekarau and later with the education committee some minutes to 7:00 pm last night.

Public Relations Officer of ASUP Comrade Clement Chirman, in a telephone interview with reporters after the meeting at the National Assembly said that the negotiation team of the union would relay the outcome of the meetings to ASUP’s National Executive Council.

While calling on union members to continue to perform their lawful duties, he said the union and government would continue to dialogue in resolving all outstanding issues.  

ASUP was protesting a circular issued by the ministry of education, suspending the implementation of CONTISS 15 in polytechnics, and the decisions by the governing councils of Federal polytechnics Oko in Anambra State and in Ado- Ekiti to suspend all union activities in the institutions and the sack of union leaders. 

Chirman said the minister of education had ordered the immediate withdrawal of the circular suspending CONTISS 15 and has ordered the restoration of union activities in the affected institutions. 

Shekarau was also said to have assured ASUP that the ministry would look into all other demands, which border on increased funding for polytechnics and improved staff welfare.

He added that the lawmakers had agreed to expedite action on other demands of the lecturers which also included the passing into law a bill establishing a National Polytechnic Commission.