Srike: Ibadan poly workers get backed by national body

The national body of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Nigerian polytechnics, NASU, has backed the industrial action declared by The Polytechnic, Ibadan, chapter.

The solidarity was declared during a meeting held earlier today in Ibadan. The national body also threatened to start a nationwide strike if nothing is done to salvage the situation in Oyo state tertiary institutions where NASU has branches.

This was disclosed to our correspondent by the union’s deputy scribe, Augustine Ageva, during a telephone interview on Tuesday.

He lamented the poor welfare of the staff and the salary arrears owed by Oyo State Government.

“If they want to privatize the institutions let them inform us because institutions can not run without adequate subventions,” he said

“We got to one of our branches too in Eruwa and we discovered the same situation over there. We can not progress this way in Nigeria. That’s why we are here to support our members.”

The commissioner for education in the state, Joseph Olowofela, has said the government does not owe the workers contrary to what they indicated in their demands and asked directed them to the management of the school.

However, the NASU chairman at Ibadan, Yomi Akande, labelled the commissioner an ‘irresponsible’ person for redirecting the aggrieved workers back to the institution governing council.

Mr Akande said: “The governing council was constituted after the problem has escalated. The school has been trying their best but they can not give what they don’t have.

“The government is lying; our members, as well as other workers, are owed over 8 months arrears. They are only trying to mislead the public.

“The state government increased the subventions to N83 million from N55 million on a monthly basis but what we earlier agreed on in the meeting held a month ago, is to increase the subventions to over N160 million instead of the N83 million.”

“After deducting taxes, the workers are left with N76 million.”

In a related development, the Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP), Ibadan branch, Gbenga Akinola, in a conversation with our correspondent said: “We’ve given the management ultimatum till Thursday. Failure to do our biddings is a total strike and we’ll join our NASU counterpartS.”

“Definitely by Thursday, if they refuse to respond to our demands, the unions will shut down the school and all activities will be stopped.”