ERC Urges Tinubu to Meet ASUP Demands, Avert Looming Polytechnic Strike

The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) has urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to urgently meet the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) in order to avert a looming nationwide strike in Nigeria’s polytechnics.

ASUP had, on August 15, issued a 21-day strike ultimatum through its president, Shammah Kpanja, during a press conference in Abuja. The union accused the government of indifference to long-standing grievances affecting polytechnic staff.

ASUP’s Demands

The polytechnic lecturers are demanding:

Payment of arrears of the reviewed 25% and 35% salary increase for lecturers.

Implementation of the new salary structure in state-owned polytechnics.

Release of circulars from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission to cover peculiar academic allowances for polytechnic staff nationwide.

ASUP has warned that government inaction has left staff demoralised while the polytechnic sector remains underfunded and neglected.

ERC’s Position

In a statement signed by its Deputy National Coordinator, Ogunjimi Isaac, and National Mobilisation Officer, Adaramoye Michael Lenin, the ERC described ASUP’s demands as “legitimate” and urged the Tinubu government to act immediately.

“The threat of strike actions ravaging the education sector presently is a clear reflection of the failure of the Tinubu government in public education,” the ERC stated.

The group argued that the looming strike is part of the wider crisis of chronic underfunding of public education, which has also led to recurring disputes with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

Call for Solidarity

The ERC called for solidarity among ASUP, ASUU, students’ unions, civil society groups, and other education stakeholders to press for:

Adequate funding of public education.

Improved welfare for education workers.

An end to what it described as “obnoxiously high school fees” in public institutions.

The campaigners insisted that despite tuition hikes across universities and polytechnics, there has been no improvement in conditions for students or staff.

A History of Strikes

ASUP, like ASUU, has a long record of industrial actions over poor welfare and neglect of polytechnics in national education planning. The union last embarked on a two-month strike in June 2021, which was suspended only after government promises — many of which remain unfulfilled, according to ASUP.

With the current ultimatum nearing its expiration, fears are mounting that another strike could again disrupt the academic calendar of polytechnics nationwide.

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna