ASUP summons NEC meeting over owed salaries arrears

The National  council of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) has  summoned  a meeting for this  month to review the issue of  non payment of salaries by both federal and state governments.   The National President of the Union, Comrade Usman Dutse,  told newsmen in an interview in Abuja that the workers cannot trust government anymore […]

The National  council of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) has  summoned  a meeting for this  month to review the issue of  non payment of salaries by both federal and state governments. 

 The National President of the Union, Comrade Usman Dutse,  told newsmen in an interview in Abuja that the workers cannot trust government anymore on its promises that  a certain amount has been set aside to offset the payment of shortfalls in salaries, promotion arrears and first 28 days.     

He urged state governors who are owing workers to pay up even as he commended the Federal Government for  providing bailout to states and the Paris club refund, as well as directing them to ensure the payment of workers’ salaries and other arrears. 

“We are equally calling on the Federal Government to ensure the payment of backlog of salaries, promotion arrears, first 28 days and shortfall in salaries of workers,” he said. 

He said states like Abia, Edo, Osun, Oyo, Kogi, Benue and Rivers, Nasarawa are owing their members ranging from four to 11 months. He appealed to the governors to use  the last Paris club fund given to them to offset backlog of workers’ salaries. 

He said, “These  governors should be magnanimous enough to pay this money because our members are sufferings. We know the economic condition and we know what it takes for someone to stay for one month without salary, talk more of someone to stay for 11 or eight months without salary.” 

He wondered why government will expect performance and productivity from  workers  when their salaries were left unpaid.

Comrade Dutse also called on government to pass the Polytechnic Act, saying it  would reduce cost of running the councils of the institutions.  

“The review of the Polytechnic Act has passed the second reading and we believe if that is passed it would reduced the cost of running the council. And also the renegotiation of the 2019 agreement, since the announcement of the constitution of the committee to renegotiate the agreement, till date nothing has been done about it. Our NEC is holding next month, we will review  the situation and know the action to take,” he said.