This is coming barely four months after the union ended a 7 months industrial action due to the intervention of the then newly appointed Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau.
It would be recalled that the first assignment Shekarau carried out after he was appointed as a minister was to parley with the leadership of ASUP in other to end its 7 months industrial action.
According reports, one of the things the minister demanded from the striking lecturers was “time” and the leadership of ASUP consented to his demand with a view to finding a lasting solution to the Union’s unending strike action.
“The honourable minister requested a three-month period to study our demands and meet with appropriate quarters with a view to meeting our demands.
“That is the main reason we are calling off this industrial action and asking all our students and their lecturers to resume,” Chibuzo Asomugha, National President of ASUP had said in July.
However, latest report indicates that four months after the truce, no
meaning changes has been effected by Shekarau and polytechnics
authorities are already lamenting that they have been deceived once
again by the government.
Asomugha, in a chat with Naij.com correspondent, disclosed that he
was already tired of the pranks being played by the government officials
since they called off the strike in July.
He added that only few people would believe what the leadership of ASUP has had to put up with since they called off the industrial action.
“Initially, it was Wike whom we thought was not helping issues with his busy schedule and political aspiration.
“When the new Minister came on board, we expected that there would be light at the end of the tunnel after all but to our amazement, it’s all the same.
“We gave them the three months which they demanded and thought that our demands would be met afterwards. But, nothing has been done as far as I know,” Asomugha lamented.
On whether the Union is likely to embark on another round of protests
that could lead to nationwide strike, the Union leader noted that, “it is the Federal Executive Council of our union that can decide on that.
“Until we hold our AGM, I’m afraid, there is little or nothing we can do about this issue”.
Also commenting on the development, some Nigerian polytechnics students, in a chat with our correspondent, described the Federal Government’s action as being irresponsible for not meeting the demands of their lecturers as earlier promised.
Peter Moses, a student of Yaba College of Technology, YABATECH noted that, “I really do not want that strike action again, not even with elections around the corner.
“FG should meet the demands of these lecturers once and for all instead of leaving these people in the dark”.
Speaking in the same vein was Oluwaseun Michael, an Engineering student of the Kwara State Polytechnic, who stated his displeasure at the turn of things, noting that the Federal Government is not likely to listen to the demands of the lecturers if they do not embark on another strike action at this stage.
Michael, who is on Industrial Training, IT in Lagos, added that, “that’s what the politicians hate the most at this stage of their campaigns.
“The lecturers must take the bull by the horn and make sure that they get all their demands from the FG, otherwise, the same thing that has been happening will repeat itself”.
Meanwhile, ASUP is expected to hold its AGM in the coming weeks and among issues to be discussed at the meeting is the insensitivity of the Federal Government to its demands for appropriate funding of the Polytechnics in Nigeria.
It would be recalled that the first assignment Shekarau carried out after he was appointed as a minister was to parley with the leadership of ASUP in other to end its 7 months industrial action.
According reports, one of the things the minister demanded from the striking lecturers was “time” and the leadership of ASUP consented to his demand with a view to finding a lasting solution to the Union’s unending strike action.
“The honourable minister requested a three-month period to study our demands and meet with appropriate quarters with a view to meeting our demands.
“That is the main reason we are calling off this industrial action and asking all our students and their lecturers to resume,” Chibuzo Asomugha, National President of ASUP had said in July.
Education Minister, Ibrahim Shekarau.
He added that only few people would believe what the leadership of ASUP has had to put up with since they called off the industrial action.
“Initially, it was Wike whom we thought was not helping issues with his busy schedule and political aspiration.
“When the new Minister came on board, we expected that there would be light at the end of the tunnel after all but to our amazement, it’s all the same.
“We gave them the three months which they demanded and thought that our demands would be met afterwards. But, nothing has been done as far as I know,” Asomugha lamented.
ASUP President, Chibuzo Asomugha.
“Until we hold our AGM, I’m afraid, there is little or nothing we can do about this issue”.
Also commenting on the development, some Nigerian polytechnics students, in a chat with our correspondent, described the Federal Government’s action as being irresponsible for not meeting the demands of their lecturers as earlier promised.
Peter Moses, a student of Yaba College of Technology, YABATECH noted that, “I really do not want that strike action again, not even with elections around the corner.
“FG should meet the demands of these lecturers once and for all instead of leaving these people in the dark”.
Speaking in the same vein was Oluwaseun Michael, an Engineering student of the Kwara State Polytechnic, who stated his displeasure at the turn of things, noting that the Federal Government is not likely to listen to the demands of the lecturers if they do not embark on another strike action at this stage.
Michael, who is on Industrial Training, IT in Lagos, added that, “that’s what the politicians hate the most at this stage of their campaigns.
“The lecturers must take the bull by the horn and make sure that they get all their demands from the FG, otherwise, the same thing that has been happening will repeat itself”.
Meanwhile, ASUP is expected to hold its AGM in the coming weeks and among issues to be discussed at the meeting is the insensitivity of the Federal Government to its demands for appropriate funding of the Polytechnics in Nigeria.
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