By Gabriel Dike
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) on Wednesday, September 3, warned the Federal Government that it will declare a trade dispute in the polytechnic system after the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum.
The Coordinator of ASUP South West Zone C, Masopa Nurudeen, issued the warning at a briefing held at Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, to sensitise the 25 chapters and Nigerians about the plights of polytechnic lecturers.
Nurudeen said, based on the resolution of the National Executive Council (NEC) on August 14, 2025, the Zonal Executive Council of Zone C reiterated that the union will have no option but to declare a trade dispute with the government.
According to him, after the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum, ASUP members will withdraw their services across chapters in public polytechnics and monotechnics in the country.
The coordinator insists the union signed an agreement with the Federal Government and that the Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, cannot claim ignorance of its existence.
He said among the issues that resulted in the union issuing the Federal Government a 21-day ultimatum include unresolved documentation on Peculiar Academic Allowance, compromise on the quality assurance exercise through outsourcing of accreditation personnel, non-payment of arrears of 25/35% consequential salary adjustment, non-implementation of adjustment in state polytechnics, and failure to reconvene FME/ASUP rapid response meetings.
Other demands are non-release of funds for the 2023 NEEDS Assessment Intervention Fund, non-implementation of key components of the approved roadmap of the Federal Ministry of Education on education, non-release of promotion arrears, non-implementation of promotion in state institutions, unresolved dichotomy against HND holders in public service, failure to domesticate the Federal Polytechnic Act (2019) by state-owned polytechnics, undue interference in union operations by managements of some institutions, and stalled renegotiation of the ASUP/FGN 2010 agreement.
His words: “We have signed agreements in 2009 and 2010 with the Federal Government. We expect Alausa to say the Federal Government does not have any signed agreement with ASUP. We will expose him with documents to show that we had an agreement with the government.
“Alausa is new in the Federal Ministry of Education; he needs to consult with staff of the ministry before making unfounded statements. ASUP will ask him to check records in the ministry.”
He stressed that ASUP has moved from asking chapters to conduct a referendum, as NEC can issue a directive for the chapters to embark on a strike, adding, “If the government fails to implement our demands, we will go on strike and ask our members to withdraw their services.”
“After the end of the 21-day ultimatum this week, our leaders will call for a NEC meeting in Abuja and ask members to withdraw their services whether students are writing exams or not. When the strike is over, they will resume the exams.”
On the Polytechnic Commission, he explained that on May 16, 2025, ASUP participated in a public hearing at the National Assembly, and the union waited for the Senate to approve it.
“ASUP visited the current minister on the commission and other outstanding issues. Alausa told our leaders that the Bill is dead on arrival. ASUP has been agitating for a Polytechnic Commission since 2023. It was agreed that polytechnics will award B.Tech in special fields of courses,” Nurudeen stated.
He further revealed that the Federal Ministry of Education set up a committee headed by a former executive secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). His recommendations were included in the FME Roadmap.
Nurudeen said the report agreed that polytechnics should have a commission, and the union believes that through the Polytechnics Commission, it will improve the polytechnic system.
The Zone C Coordinator said the Federal Government has refused to release 2023 and 2024 NEEDS Assessment funds for polytechnics. He also disclosed that the government has not paid the 7 percent Peculiar Academic Allowance to polytechnic lecturers because the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission has not released the circular for implementation.