Bauchi State Polytechnic ASUP to join nationwide strike after students exams
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) of Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic (ATAP) Bauchi will join the ongoing nationwide indefinite strike by the ASUP National body. It said that it will join the strike at the end of ongoing students examinations. ASUP ATAP chapter Chairman,Comrade Bala Mohammed Yakubu disclosed this at a press conference held […]
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) of Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic (ATAP) Bauchi will join the ongoing nationwide indefinite strike by the ASUP National body.
It said that it will join the strike at the end of ongoing students examinations.
ASUP ATAP chapter Chairman,Comrade Bala Mohammed Yakubu disclosed this at a press conference held at the ASUP Secretariat in Bauchi.
He said that they delayed joining the strike earlier so as not to stall the ongoing students examinations at the Polytechnic.
According to him, the students have gone far in their examinations and the strike commences Monday 13th November, which was two days to the end of ongoing exams.
"We won’t be fair to the students and parents, we would allow them to finish their exams and then continued with the strike.The unions are aware that all the students commence their semester exams last week which will end Tuesday or Wednesday, we have to join the strike two days after the exams in solidarity of other institutions and the National Union indefinitely to make the federal government and state address the problems.
“And we are not returning to the class for lectures until the the federal and state Government meet up with our demands or we know our stand. We have been patient enough and we can no longer accommodate it,” He said the indefinite strike action embarked upon by the National body of ASUP is to press home their demands from the federal Government,"he said.
According to him, the strike became necessary despite the commencement of negotiations of the union’s 2010 agreement with the government progress report on items such like non implementation of the Needs Assessment report, shortfalls in personnel releases and withdrawal of allowances, conditions of state owned institutions.
Other items include; non release of CONTISS 15 migration, non passage of amendment bill of the polytechnic act, infractions in the appointment of Reactors and continued victimisation of Union officers.
He commended Bauchi state government and the effort of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Nadada Umar and ATAP management for intervening in meeting up the demand of staff and ending the Polytechnic’s internal strike.
Yakubu however said that the issues of migration of officers cadres,and shortfalls in some allowances are yet to be resolved.
The ASUP chairman called on state governors to look in to the salaries and welfare of lecturers who impact knowledge to citizens.
“Families of these staff who are our members are either dying or sick or starved for lack of food to feed their families or carry them to the hospitals for medical treatment or buy drugs for their children and wives,"he added.
He noted that his members will comply with the ASUP NEC directive on the indefinite strike unless until the national body agreed on some terms with the government.