ASUP Strike- FG Condition For Payment Of Lecturers' Arrears.

Unperturbed by the lingering strike embarked upon by the Academic
Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), the Federal Government on Friday
gave condition for the payment of the outstanding CONTISS 15 salary
arrears of the lecturers.
In a statement by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Supervising
Minister of Education, Simeon Nwakaudu, government was said to have
directed the governing councils of each of the Federal Polytechnics to
prevail on the striking lecturers to accept payment terms for the
outstanding CONTISS 15 arrears in two installments.
Government also stated that it would make the payments between March
and November 2014.
According to the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, who
had a closed door meeting with chairmen of Governing Councils of
Federal Polytechnics in his office, on Friday, the offer also applies
to striking Federal Colleges of Education workers.
Wike was said to have urged the unionists to immediately take a
resolution concerning the ongoing strike and end it in the interest of
all stakeholders.
Both arrears for the Polytechnics and Colleges of Education stand at
over N40billion. However, at a previous meeting with ASUP executives,
government had asked the union to work out the modalities for
settlement of the arrears, which amounted to N20.4billion.
ASUP, after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, a
week later, rejected the offer insisting that the strike would
continue unless government met all the demands made by the union
collectively.
Wike at Friday's meeting was quoted to have said: "At our exhaustive
meeting with the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), we
agreed on the payment of the CONTISS 15 in two installments. We have
since raised a memo to the President to this effect. I took the risk
of committing government because we are deeply worried over the
prolonged strike.
"Thereafter, ASUP wrote to inform us that they have rejected this
offer. Please, as chairmen of Polytechnic Governing Councils, we ask
that you communicate our commitment to adhering to the schedule of
payment. All the processes are on and we are committed to resolving
the strike action."
While stating that the Federal Government is unhappy that Polytechnic
students are at home, Wike said the office of the Secretary to
Government of the Federation is already concluding work on the release
of the agreed White Paper, adding that work on the Needs Assessment
for Polytechnics and Colleges of Education are about being concluded.
He pointed out that the Jonathan administration would tackle the rot
in the institutions the way it is implementing the Needs Assessment
report on universities.
He, however, appealed to unions of Polytechnics and Colleges of
Education to focus on the welfare of their members and not on the
appointment of rectors and provosts.
In his remarks, chairman of the Committee of Chairmen of the Governing
Councils of Federal Polytechnics, Ebenezer Babatope, commended the
minister for his effort to resolve the strike by Polytechnic staff.
He said that with the detailed briefing by the minister, the governing
councils would inform staff of their respective polytechnics on the
commitment of the Federal Government to pay CONTISS 15 in two
installments, adding that the Nigerian polytechnic staff should return
to their duty posts so that further progress can be made.

ACAPLAZA

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