Senate Moves To End Strike

THE Senate has waded into the over 9 weeks strike by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics ASUP, raising hope of an imminent resolution.

 President of ASUP, Dr. Chibuzor Asomugha, said yesterday that the Senate Committee on Education has intervened to end the protracted industrial action.

 According to him:”The Senate Committee has pledged to intervene and meet with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the Office of Accountant-General of the Federation with a view to sorting out issues around the completion of appointment of members of governing councils of six polytechnics and the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) imbroglio.”

 Asomugha, who described the ASUP meeting with Senate Committee as fruitful, said “specific assignments were given to different stakeholders with Tuesday next week as deadline for results.”

 Present at the intervention meeting were members of the Senate Committee on Education, Education Minister, Professor Ruqayyatu Rufa’i and Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu. Also present were Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, Dr. Mas’udu A. Kazaure; National Publicity Secretary, ASUP, Mr. Clement Chairman; Permanent Secretary (Education) and Director of Establishment (Head Of Service) It would be recalled that ASUP embarked on nationwide indefinite strike on April 29 over what they termed Federal Government’s insensitivity to its demands.

 ASUP is asking government to adequately fund polytechnics, as well as appointing qualified rectors in Nigerian Polytechnics, and to resolve the issue of integrated polytechnic pay-roll system, among others.