The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has suspended its planned nationwide strike after the Federal Government took significant steps to address the union’s key demands.
The announcement was made on Sunday by ASUP National President, Shammah Kpanja, following the union’s 115th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on October 9. The meeting was convened to assess the government’s response to a 21-day ultimatum issued on August 15, during which the union had threatened to embark on an industrial action.
Kpanja said the decision to suspend the strike was informed by visible progress on several pressing issues, including the release of a circular by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission approving Peculiar Academic Allowances for polytechnic lecturers. He also confirmed that the 2025 cycle of the NEEDS Assessment intervention had commenced, while meetings of the Polytechnic Implementation Monitoring Committee had resumed after months of inactivity.
Read also:
- ASUP declares warning strike, threatens indefinite shutdown of polytechnic
- Heads may roll as minister wades into Fed Polytechnic Ekowe labour dispute
- Tinubu places 7-year freeze on new federal tertiary institutions
The ASUP President further acknowledged the Federal Government’s reconstitution of its Renegotiation Committee to include representatives of the polytechnic sector, a move he described as “a positive signal towards fair engagement and inclusivity.” He added that the Federal Ministry of Education had made notable progress in resolving lingering crises at the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, and the Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe.
Kpanja also expressed optimism over the government’s renewed efforts to clear the 25 percent and 35 percent salary adjustments, as well as the backlog of promotion arrears owed to polytechnic staff across the country.
“Consequently, our NEC resolved to put the proposed strike on hold to allow the Federal Government more time to conclude the ongoing implementation process,” he said. However, the union noted that it would reconvene in six weeks to review the situation and determine the next line of action based on the level of progress made.
The ASUP President commended the Minister of Education, Dr. Tahir Mamman, and his deputy, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, for their continued engagement and commitment to resolving the union’s concerns through dialogue rather than confrontation.
