ASUP calls for immediate release of N15bn revitalisation fund

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics has appealed to the Federal Government to release the N15 billion infrastructure revitalisation fund for the sector.

The ASUP President, Mr Anderson Ezeibe, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

NAN reports that ASUP had embarked on a nationwide strike on April 6, to press home its demands.

The union agitations include the sorry state of public polytechnics, monotechnic, non –payment of ten months arrears of new minimum wage among others.

It would be recalled that the government had offered the union the release of N15 billion for revitalisation and also the release of ten months arrears of minimum wage

According to Ezeibe, the union and the Federal Government had on April 27, signed a Memorandum of Action (MoA) to accelerate its implementation.

“We have already signed a resolution for the implementation of the MoA. The reason why we are still on strike is the non-implementation of the signed memorandum.

“There are items on the MoA that require immediate implementation. We expect the government to start implementing them,’’ he said.

The ASUP president, therefore, called for the immediate release of the minimum wage arrears to its members across the country.

He also called for the release of N15 billion revitalization funds for the sector.

He added that these were some of the items on the MoA that needed immediate attention for the union to call off the strike.

Ezeibe, however, commended the Federal Government for fulfilling some of the union demands in the MoA.

“We are getting to the end of it all by the grace of God, we expect the government to do more and release the necessary funds, in no time school will reopen, ’’Eezeibe said.