Get Guardian on GoogleAs the 15-day ultimatum issued by the national leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) enters its final six days, polytechnic lecturers in Ogun State, yesterday concluded plans to embark on a total shutdown of academic activities across State-own polytechnic in state.
The lecturers urged Governor Dapo Abiodun to urgently address its demands, especially the immediate implementation and local payment of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance(CATA), warning that failure to do so could result to strike action across polytechnics in the state.
The State’s ASUP Chairman, Comrade Kolawole Adeyemi stressed only the a timely intervention of the state government could avert the industrial dispute, ensure parity with their counterpart in federal institutions and enhance research activities as well as quality of teaching.
Adeyemi stated this yesterday at a press conference held at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, while also identifying the Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), expressed concern over the persistent challenges affecting the operations of the six state-owned polytechnic
He lamented that monthly subventions to some state-owned institutions had remained at a meagre ₦5 million for more than a decade, despite rising economic realities, operational costs and increasing institutional responsibilities.
Adeyemi described the funding arrangement as grossly inadequate to support the effective administration and development of the institutions.
He also expressed concern over the state government’s alleged failure to meet its pension counterpart funding obligations, as well as the non-remittance of employees’ pension deductions to their respective Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) for several months in the polytechnic sector.
Adeyemi said “While CATA/EAA implementation remains the immediate and central focus of our agitation, we must also express our deep concern over the persistent challenges confronting the six state-owned polytechnics in Ogun State.”
“It is discouraging that the monthly subvention to some of these institutions has remained at a paltry sum of ₦5 million for over ten years, despite the significant changes in economic realities, operational costs and institutional responsibilities.”
“This funding arrangement is grossly inadequate to sustain the effective administration and development of these institutions.”
‘Equally disturbing is the government’s lack of commitment to pension counterpart funding and unremitted deductions from employees for several months in the polytechnic sector into Pension Funds Administrators (PFAs).
“This situation raises serious concerns about the retirement security and long-term welfare of our members and other employees who have dedicated their productive years to public service.
“Furthermore, the palliative support announced by the government has not been consistently extended to workers across the state-owned polytechnics, as a majority of the affected institutions are yet to receive the payment this year. Such inconsistency creates a sense of exclusion and further compounds the economic difficulties confronting workers.
“We are equally concerned about the apparent lack of adequate government attention to the development of the polytechnic sector.”
” At a time when technical, vocational and entrepreneurial education is critical to economic growth, employment generation and national development, the state-owned polytechnics deserve deliberate investment, policy attention and sustainable funding.”
“It is important to remind the government that the polytechnic sector accommodates a significant proportion of young people seeking tertiary education in Ogun State, particularly given that the state currently has only one state-owned university.”
“Neglecting the polytechnic sector is therefore tantamount to undermining the educational aspirations and future opportunities of thousands of young people”, he added.
