Comrade Abubakar J. Abdullah, Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) at Kaduna Polytechnic, has warned that if the Federal Government does not meet the union’s demands, all polytechnics in Nigeria will be shut down by December 2, 2024.
He explained that the union had issued a 15-day ultimatum to the government on October 6, 2024, detailing several urgent demands aimed at addressing the systemic challenges facing polytechnics. However, the government has failed to respond to these concerns.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, November 26, in Kaduna, Abdullah highlighted the union’s key demands, which include the immediate release of the second tranche of the NEEDS Assessment Intervention fund, the implementation of the approved 25/35% salary review for all public polytechnic staff, and the payment of accrued arrears. Other demands include the resolution of the long-standing CONTISS-15 migration arrears for lower cadres, the settlement of outstanding promotion arrears, and addressing inadequate funding and unpaid allowances.
Abdullah expressed disappointment that the government had not taken any action since the ultimatum expired, stating, “The silence and inaction leave us no choice but to consider a total shutdown of our institutions, effective December 2nd, 2024, if our concerns remain unresolved.”
He emphasized that the future of the country’s education system depends on the government’s willingness to respond to the union’s demands. Abdullah stressed that the union is committed to ensuring a robust education sector and urged the government to engage in meaningful dialogue to resolve these issues.
