Oguntoye Sodiq
Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta have initiated an indefinite strike due to alleged non-payment of their salaries for the past three months by the institution’s management.
The staff unions on campus declared this industrial action after separate congresses held on Wednesday, October 4, 2023.
They have also expressed a vote of no confidence in the competence of the Rector, Dr. Adeoye Odedeji, and Bursar, Mr. Fatai Yekini, in handling the crisis, and have called for urgent intervention from Governor Dapo Abiodun to prevent further loss of their members.
The unions, marching from their respective congress venues, blocked the Administrative building of the polytechnic, protesting the institution’s management’s poor treatment of their members’ welfare, which they deemed to be at a critical stage.
Recent reports indicate that the Polytechnic has experienced loss of lives among its members due to unpaid salaries and allowances, with the most recent incident being the death of Mrs. Kuburat Olonade on September 30, 2023, due to lack of funds for her health care.
Among their demands, the striking workers are calling for the immediate payment of their salaries and allowances from July 2023 to date, the release of the 2019 Appointments and 2020 Promotions to staff, and remittance of their pensions, CTCS, and Union deductions for over forty-five (45) months.
They are also advocating for approval of the Conversion & Upgrading Exercise for eligible staff members, and are expressing dissatisfaction with what they perceive as the management’s financial recklessness and nonchalant attitude towards staff welfare, among other concerns.
The unions assert that they have sent numerous letters to the management emphasizing the importance of prioritizing staff welfare, but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
In a joint resolution, the unions have called on Governor Prince Dr. Dapo Abiodun MFR to intervene in the issues affecting the Polytechnic. They also reiterate their vote of no confidence in the Rector, Dr. Adeoye Odedeji, and the Bursar, Mr. Fatai Yekini. They emphasize that not receiving salaries for three (3) months amid economic challenges is unacceptable and unwarranted.
The union joint resolution partly reads:
“The Unions called on His Excellency, Prince Dr. Dapo Abiodun MFR, to intervene in the problems ravaging the Polytechnic, and also maintained that the VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE earlier passed on the institution’s Rector, Dr. Adeoye Odedeji and the Bursar Mr Fatai Yekini subsists.
“The Congress emphasized that the intervention of the governor would restore normalcy in the Polytechnic, adding that not receiving three (3) months salaries at this time of harsh economic realities is unacceptable and uncalled for”, the unions stated.
ASUP Chairman, Mr. Thompson Adegunle, confirmed this development.