FG Urges Pro-chancellors of Polytechnics To Intervene In ASUP Strike.

The federal government has appealed to Committee of Pro-Chancellors of
Federal Polytechnics to mediate in the impasse between it and Academic
Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, in order to ensure that Nigerian
students returned to school.
Supervising Minister of Education, Mr. Ezenwo Wike, made the appeal
while addressing the Pro-Chancellors in a meeting in Abuja.
He said the Federal Government had met over eighty percent of the
demands of ASUP, with the release of the white-paper, the only thing
left to be done.
He said: "Contrary to insinuations by the union, the Federal
Government holds the Polytechnic staff in high esteem, hence the
setting up of the Needs Assessment to determine the level of decay in
the schools and how much will be needed by the Federal Government to
revive the institutions.
"The Federal Government has started the process of paying the N20.8
billion arrears owed Polytechnic staff, the funds will be released as
soon as the procedures are concluded."
Earlier, chairman of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors, Chief Ebenezer
Babatope, called on the minister to facilitate the resolution of the
strike by ASUP.
He also called on the Federal Ministry of Education to work towards
the release of the white paper of the Visitation Panels to
Federal Polytechnics and pay arrears owed polytechnic staff.
The meeting was attended by officials of the National Board for
Technical Education and chairmen of 14 governing councils of
Polytechnics.
Meanwhile, in order to ensure proper monitoring of the N200 billion
that was part of the agreement reached with Academic Staff Union of
Universities, ASUU, to call off its five months old, the Federal
Government yesterday inaugurated a committee to monitor proper use of
the money.
Wike, while inaugurating the committee, said it was part of the
resolution reached between the Federal Government and ASUU.
He said the setting up of the committee showsedthe commitment of the
Federal Government in ensuring that tertiary institutions were
properly funded.
Source: NGScholars.