Settle Us Before 3-Month Window Closes, ASUP Warns FG

Hostilities may resume between the Academic Staff union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and the Federal Government as the Union says all pending issues should be ironed out before its three-month grace period ends.

After a meeting held at Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori, Rivers State to deliberate over progress made since the strike was suspended, the union's National Executive Council (NEC), expressed hopes that the task force set up by the Minister of Education, Ibrahim Shekarau, would come before the looming deadline.

The strike was suspended on the 12th of June, leaving just about 2-weeks until deadline day.

ASUP's South-West Zonal Coordinator, Dosumu Babatunde, said a letter has been sent to the minister.

“We wouldn’t want the three months grace given to government to lapse so we sent a letter to the minister urging him to do everything possible to ensure that we end this crisis before the expiration of the period given to the minister,” he said.

Babatunde noted that, the Minister was working towards a quick resolution.

It will be recalled that 10-month old Academic Staff union of Polytechnics (ASUP) strike was suspended two days after Shekarau was appointed Minister of Education.

The National Publicity Secretary of ASUP, Clement Chairman, in announcing the suspension had called it a three-month window for the Federal Government to fulfil its agreements with the union.

It is however unlikely that enough progress has been made on negotiations, presenting the risk of a return of hostilities or further compromise on both or either sides.