ASUP Strike Update: FG gives condition for payment of lecturers’ arrears ASUP: FG gives condition for payment of lecturers’ arrears Unperturbed by the lingering strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), the Federal Government on Friday gave condition for the payment of the outstanding CONTISS 15 salary arrears of the lecturers. In a statement by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Supervising Minister of Education, Simeon Nwakaudu, government was said to have directed the governing councils of each of the Federal Polytechnics to prevail on the striking lecturers to accept payment terms for the outstanding CONTISS 15 arrears in two installments. Government also stated that it would make the payments between March and November 2014. According to the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, who had a closed door meeting with chairmen of Governing Councils of Federal Polytechnics in his office, on Friday, the offer also applies to striking Federal Colleges of Education workers. Wike was said to have urged the unionists to immediately take a resolution concerning the ongoing strike and end it in the interest of all stakeholders. Both arrears for the Polytechnics and Colleges of Education stand at over N40billion. However, at a previous meeting with ASUP executives, government had asked the union to work out the modalities for settlement of the arrears, which amounted to N20.4billion. ASUP, after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, a week later, rejected the offer insisting that the strike would continue unless government met all the demands made by the union collectively. Wike at Friday’s meeting was quoted to have said: “At our exhaustive meeting with the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), we agreed on the payment of the CONTISS 15 in two installments. We have since raised a memo to the President to this effect. I took the risk of committing government because we are deeply worried over the prolonged strike. “Thereafter, ASUP wrote to inform us that they have rejected this offer. Please, as chairmen of Polytechnic Governing Councils, we ask that you communicate our commitment to adhering to the schedule of payment. All the processes are on and we are committed to resolving the strike action.” While stating that the Federal Government is unhappy that Polytechnic students are at home, Wike said the office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation is already concluding work on the release of the agreed White Paper, adding that work on the Needs Assessment for Polytechnics and Colleges of Education are about being concluded. He pointed out that the Jonathan administration would tackle the rot in the institutions the way it is implementing the Needs Assessment report on universities. He, however, appealed to unions of Polytechnics and Colleges of Education to focus on the welfare of their members and not on the appointment of rectors and provosts. In his remarks, chairman of the Committee of Chairmen of the Governing Councils of Federal Polytechnics, Ebenezer Babatope, commended the minister for his effort to resolve the strike by Polytechnic staff. He said that with the detailed briefing by the minister, the governing councils would inform staff of their respective polytechnics on the commitment of the Federal Government to pay CONTISS 15 in two installments, adding that the Nigerian polytechnic staff should return to their duty posts so that further progress can be made.
Posted on: Sun, 23 Mar 2014 08:05:48 +0000
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