Academic Staff Union Of Polytechnics (ASUP) has sought for immediate upward review of monthly subvention being released to six Ogun State Government owned polytechnics to enable them function effectively in order to drive technological innovations and economic growth of the State.
Mr Masopa Nurudeen, the Zone- C Co-ordinator of the union, made the call on Thursday at news conference held at the premises of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta.
Nurudeen also expressed concern over non-implementation of the newly approved national minimum wage for workers in the six affected Polytechnics.
The institutions included Ogun State Institute of Technology, Igbesa, Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, D.S Adegbnro Polytechnic, Itori, Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic, Ijebu-Igbo and Ogun State Polytechnic of Health and Allied Sciences , Ilese
ASUP described the N5million monthly subvention being released to five of the institutions since their establishment as grossly inadequate considering the economic realities of present situation in Nigeria.
The body said that the state government should be alive to its responsibility of proper funding of the polytechnic system.
The union also decried non-implementation of the 25%/35% salary increment as approved by the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) in Ogun State owned polytechnics and the continued withholding of arrears since January 2023 as well as non-implementation of CONTISS 15 migration in most of the Ogun State owned polytechnics .
Ogun State Government according to ASUP, is not implementing the new minimum wage for workers in all Ogun State owned polytechnics as approved by the Federal and State Governments.
The union equally accused the State Government of non-domestication of Federal Polytechnic Act as amended in 2019 while condemning its selective implementation in some of the State owned polytechnics
Other issues raised at the news conference by ASUP, included the exclusion of workers in the implementation of peculiar allowance for workers in the polytechnics to cushion the effect of current economic hardship and delay in the conduct of yearly promotions
“Delay in the conduct of yearly promotion exercises in the various Ogun State owned Polytechnics since last 3 years, notably at D.S Adegbnro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, Ogun State Polytechnic of Health and Allied Sciences, Ilese-Ijebu, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic MAPOLY and non-payment of the promotion arrears of the previously delayed promotions “, the union lamented
On the ongoing nation-wide two weeks warning strike declared by ASUP to compel the Federal Government to renegotiate the inconclusive agreement of 2010 , the union vowed to resist any attempt to victimize its members participating in the industrial action
The union zonal coordinator however said the two weeks warning strike would be reviewed and decision taken at its next National Executive Council meeting
Other representatives of the union at news conference include Kehinde Tajudeen (Ogun State Institute of Technology Igbesa), Michael Afolabi (Gateway ICT Polytechnic Saapade), Ogunyinka Opeyemi (DS Adegbnro ICT Polytechnic Itori).
Others included, Kotoye Afolabi ( Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic Ijebu-Igbo), Adeyemi Joseph Kolawole ( Ogun State Polytechnic of Health and Allied Sciences Ilese-Ijebu) and Tomisi Adegunle ( Moshood Abiola Polytechnic MAPOLY)
