By Muhammad Sani Muazu
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Zone B, has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to address what it described as critical issues threatening the survival of the polytechnic education sector in Nigeria.
Speaking at a press conference in Bauchi on Friday, the Zonal Coordinator of ASUP, Lumpye Innocent Simji, said the decision followed resolutions reached at the Union’s emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on August 14, 2025, in Abuja. He noted that the ultimatum, if ignored, could lead to a nationwide strike by academic staff in polytechnics and monotechnics.
According to him, the unresolved issues include the non-release of the circular by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) to cover the Peculiar Academic Allowance; non-payment of arrears of the 25/35 percent salary review; and failure of state-owned polytechnics to implement both the new salary structure and the national minimum wage.
Other demands highlighted by the union include the delay in granting a dual mandate structure to eliminate the dichotomy between Higher National Diploma (HND) and degree holders, non-release of approved NEEDS assessment funds for infrastructural development, outsourcing of quality assurance by NBTE to unqualified vendors, and failure to establish a dedicated commission for the polytechnic sector.
ASUP also condemned the delay in the release of promotion arrears, stalled renegotiation of the 2010 ASUP/FG agreement, refusal by state governments to domesticate relevant portions of the Federal Polytechnics Act, sustained discrimination against HND holders in the public service, and the non-conclusion of discussions on the release of CONTISS 15 arrears.
The union further decried what it termed the “militarization” of campuses, citing the case of Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, where armed security operatives have allegedly been deployed to disrupt union activities. It accused the Federal Ministry of Education of failing to hold the management of the institution accountable.
Simji said the NEC also frowned at the refusal of the Ministry of Education to reconvene the ASUP/FME Rapid Response Committee meetings, stressing that the ministry’s “non-committal disposition” to genuine dialogue had left the union with no choice but to issue the ultimatum.
He warned that unless urgent action is taken to address the issues within the 21-day window, ASUP would have no option but to declare a trade dispute and withdraw the services of its members nationwide.
