embark on a "massive protest" in the capital
city, Abuja, next week, according to the
Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics
President, Chibuzor Asomugha.
Speaking on a radio programme on Ray Power
FM and reported by news.naij.com on Friday,
Asomugha said the move might be necessary
to press for the implementation of their
demands as their last meeting with
government representatives was held on
March 26, 2014.
ASUP members commenced strike on October
13, 2013, to press for a number of demands
which include improved remuneration and the
constitution of the Governing Councils of
Federal Polytechnics.
Asomugha said the government delegation had
agreed at their last meeting with ASUP to brief
President Goodluck Jonathan on the
development and come up with a
'Memorandum of Understanding' to be signed
by the two parties.
Although, Asomugha did not give a date for
the protest, he promised that market women,
students, lecturers, labour unions and other
concerned citizens would be involved.
He also expressed concern with the way the
Federal Government was handling polytechnic
education in Nigeria.
He added that the union was still seeking an
amicable solution to the situation and had
appealed to the Senate President, David Mark,
and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, for their
intervention.
Meanwhile, Mark had promised to look into
the matter after conclusion of work on the
2014 budget, which had just been passed by
the Senate on Wednesday and subsequently by
the House of Representatives on Thursday.
Asomugha added the striking lecturers were
not bothered by the government's "No work,
No pay policy". He said that the lecturers'
salaries for March 2014 had not been paid
following a government circular issued on
Mach 21 directing that salary payments be
stopped.
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