Fed Poly Bauchi ally with ASUU, embark on indefinite strike as Mgt declare two weeks break

As the industrial strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) continue to cripple academic activities across the country, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Federal Polytechnic Chapter, Bauchi, on Monday also embarked on an indefinite strike to press home numerous demands.

While speaking to journalists in Bauchi, the ASUP chairman, Mr. Ahmad Mukaddas, explained that the union embarked on the strike to demand the implementation of the promotion of their members from 2014 to 2016, adding that although their members have been promoted, they are demanding for an implementation of such promotions in such a way that their arrears would be paid.

According to him, the arrears of three years have accumulated to over N162 million, stressing his members are owed N39 million in 2014, about N52 million in 2015 and about N71 million in 2017.

Mukaddas said, “We went on strike because of the non-implementation of staff promotion from 2014 to 2016 and our second demand is the payment of the arrears of such promotions from 2014 to 2016, which have not yet been effected.”

The ASUP Chairman added that “the issue of salary shortfall are there for 6 months in 2016 and 1 month in 2017, and have not been addressed.”

He further stated that the union is also demanding the payment of between 25 and 27 months academic allowances from the management of the Polytechnic.

“Initially, they were supposed to pay for 32 months, but they settled 12 months and as at May, it has accumulated to between 25 and 27 months. While the implementations are basically, just figures between N2. 1 and N4. 2 million for 2014 to 2016,” he said.

Mukkadas, who said that the union went on the indefinite strike after exhausting all avenues which were not successful including a three day ultimatum which elapsed last Friday, added that the union met severally with the management and also with the state director of the State Security Service, the Emir of Bauchi and the Speaker, House of Representatives through the House Committee on Tertiary Education, “all of them tried to intervened by appealing to us,” long before now.

When contacted, the Deputy Rector, said, “from what they (ASUP) told you, did they tell you that the money was given to us and, as sadists, we refused to pay them or what? Go back and ask them,” Referring DTN Correspondent to ASUP.

“I want you as a journalist to go to other institutions and make enquiries whether it is only this institution that has that problem, otherwise, it doesn’t really make sense,” he stated.

When our correspondent visited the polytechnic, he saw a detachment of armed policemen manning the gate of the institution to prevent any breakdown of law and order.

Samuel Luka, Bauchi