The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike over their unpaid salaries and allowances running into several months.
In a statement issued by the President of the union, Anderson Ezeibe, at the 106th meeting of the National Executive Council held in Abuja on Wednesday, ASUP warned state governments owing lecturers several months of salaries to pay up immediately or face industrial action.
The union also vowed to ensure that all members owed by the government are paid before the expiration of their administrations on May 29.
Ezeibe noted that it was sad that the affected state governors did not take the matter of the welfare of the ASUP members as a priority in the current economic dispensation, specifically pointing out Abia State where lecturers are owed salaries for over 40 months.
Other states that have refused to honour their obligations include Plateau, Osun, Benue, Edo and Ondo States.
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“As a union, our responsibility to our employer is to come to work, perform our duties, and leave with the hope that at the end of the month, our employers will behave themselves and pay us our emoluments in full,” Ezeibe said.
“But unfortunately, some state governments have continued to play with the livelihoods of staff of polytechnics in their respective states. Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, where staff are owed for over 40 months; Polytechnics and Monotechnics owned by the Plateau State government, Polytechnics and Monotechnics owned by the Osun state government, Polytechnics and Monotechnics owned by the Benue state government, Polytechnic owned by the Ondo State Government and The Polytechnic owned by the Edo state government are owed backlogs of their salaries.
“The union is unhappy with the situation and requests that salaries be paid immediately or face massive industrial actions or shut down the institution till the state is ready to fund the polytechnics.
“Our union demands that the outgoing state governments of Abia, Osun, Plateau, Benue, Edo, Ondo, Ogun and Sokoto fulfill their obligations to our members by releasing owed salaries and withholding check-off dues.
“We are equally demanding the first recommencement of the union/FG renegotiation process to usher in a new dispensation of staff welfare in the sector,” he added.