Bauchi polytechnic lecturers on strike

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Federal Polytechnic Bauchi Chapter has embarked on an indefinite strike Monday to press home their demands. Chairman of the union, Ahmad Mukaddas, said that it’s members are demanding among other things the promotion of their members from 2014 to 2016 and payment of their‎ three years arrears. According […]

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Federal Polytechnic Bauchi Chapter has embarked on an indefinite strike Monday to press home their demands.

Chairman of the union, Ahmad Mukaddas, said that it’s members are demanding among other things the promotion of their members from 2014 to 2016 and payment of their‎ three years arrears.

According to him, the three years arrears have accumulated to over N162 million, explaining that members are owed N39 million in 2014, about N52 million in 2015 and about N71 million in 2017.

"We went on strike because of the non-implementation of staff promotion from 2014 to 2016.Our second demand is the payment of the arrears of such promotions from 2014 to 2016, which have not yet been effected. The issue of salary shortfall are there for 6 months in 2016 and 1 month in 2017, and have not been addressed," he said.

Mukaddas further informed that the union is also demanding the payment of between 25 and 27 months academic allowances from the management of the Polytechnic.

"Initially, they were supposed to pay for 32 months, but they settled 12 months and as at May, it has accumulated to between 25 and 27 months. While the implementations are basically, just figures between N2. 1 and N4. 2 million for 2014 to 2016," he said.

The ASUP chaairman maintained that the union went on the indefinite strike after exhausting all avenues including a three day ultimatum given to the management which ended Friday.

He said that the union held several meetings with the management, the Director of SSS, Emir of Bauchi and the Speaker, House of Representatives through the House Committee on Tertiary Education who he said all tried to intervened.

When contacted, the deputy rector Sunusi Gumau accused the union for not reasoning with the Polytechnic’s management over the issue as the funds needed to meet its demands have not been provided.

"From what they (ASUP) told you, did they tell you that the money was given to us and, as sadists, we refused to pay them or what? Go back and ask them. I want you as a journalist to go to other institutions and make enquiries whether it is only this institution that has that problem, otherwise, it doesn’t really make sense," he said.

However, in a circular signed by the polytechnic’s  registrar, Rakiya Maleka, pasted at strategic locations within the institution stated that the management had given the students a two weeks break.

Maleka, in the circular dated 14th August, 2017, with the heading "Two Weeks Break," did not give reasons for the sudden break but said that "the Academic Board of the Institution has approved two (2) weeks break with immediate effect."

She added that "students are by this notice, requested to vacate the campus latest by 8pm."