DECLARATION OF INDEFINITE STRIKE BY ASUP YABATECH CHAPTER, AN IRRATIONAL DECISION LACKING RESPECT FOR STUDENT CAREER PROGRESSION

Making an unequivocal position on the deceleration of indefinite strike by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic Yaba College of Technology Chapter became imperative of our leadership, the action is presumed to be callous on the students who are preparing for the first semester examination.

Going by our wide consultation with all structures including the regional Secretariat of West Africa Polytechnic Student's Union WAPSU, the apex leadership structure in the Region, it is deem necessary we assert to ASUP that our role in the system is beyond learning but equally a key Stakeholder in the sustainability of peace and harmony in the sector which is a pivot for attaining an hitch free academic session for student,  staff management and the polytechnic community at large.

Mutual respect of every group interest with due consideration is expected, in absence of these we hereby condemn the decision of the union to declare an  indefinite strike action over one month unpaid allowance as it reflect no better understanding of the  union's  purposeful leadership rather a deliberate attempt to frustrate the student and the system entirely. Aside the fact that student examination  Commence soonest the justification for this act remain unjust as we believe equally the union must have boycotted her National Leadership approval for this action as past and present National Leadership of ASUP as displayed in several occasion high respect for student constituency which always ensure tangible reasons for any strike action if it must be declared.

We expect the union to kick start pressure on Federal Government to see to immediate implementation of National Council On Establishment is sat 39th Meeting Resolution which seek to halt permanently the dichotomy between HND and BSC in civil service and possible the autonomy for polytechnics to award B.Tech rather than this show of shame. 

Our investigation has reveal that this situation is not only limited no peculiar to only  Yaba college of Technology but almost all Federal Polytechnic in Nigeria so why Yaba Tech ASUP in hurry.  The hurry declaration  of indefinite strike therefore brought forth question of sincerity and conscience of the chapter chairman to the system most especially the student community.

We wish to clearly state that one month unpaid allowances with 100%paid salary does not worth holding thousands of Nigerian Polytechnic student to ransom by declaration of indefinite strike by any Union except on selfish interest which lack moral,  constitutional and legal backing nor student solidarity.

It is also imperative we remind the chapter to source alternative means for pressing her demands from either Federal Government or the Management  Authority aside industrial action as we student will not continue to be a bait for any Union in academic setting to catch it's fish any longer. We have some thing meaningful to do with our lives,  our graduation is essential and prerequisite for our career development.

The question of integrity we wish to throw out is as follows

If ASUP is embarking on strike for one month unpaid allowance,  who should Nigeria Polytechnic students in the college turn to for payment of their extended house rent,  utility bill,  cost of feeding and most importantly time unnecessarily injured out of Union lack of understanding?  We hereby implore,  appeal and eulogise the ASUP Yaba Tech chapter to suspend the unjustifiable indefinite strike and  resume work with immediate effect while we pledge our support and solidarity as usual  for the union to mount pressure on Federal Government of Nigeria to resume the allowance payment in due course among other pressing  matter's that affect our sector.

We shall be available to smoothing the peace talk between the union and college management in no distance time while anticipating official resumption  of work in Yaba College of Tech latest before Wednesday. 

We call on management to embrace dialog with the union to fast track the peace and restoration of academic activities in the college.

Aluta continua Victoria Ascerta. 

Signed. 

Comr Olugbode Damola Hammed. 
National PRO NAPS 

Comr.  Oyeniyi Abdulmajeed
Deputy Senate President NAPS

Comr.  Adekanbi Sunday Speaker WAPSU

Cc : FME,  DSS, NPF, MEDIA ASUP NATIONAL.

NAPS HAILS COUNCIL OF ESTABLISHMENT CALLS FOR IMPLEMENTATION

It is gratifying to realize that in spite of the propaganda against the polytechnic system by the Nigerian sycophants and hypocrites, the Council of Establishment does not succumb to any emotional weakness while making the fundamental decision of removing the disparity in career progression and differential salary structure between polytechnic graduates and the university counterparts in civil service though with a PGD prerequisite, giving a step victory to the total abolishment of HND / BSC dichotomy. The rational decision to put an end to the unjust discriminatory against the HND holders is rightly celebrated,

Implementation remains the greater challenge our struggles are faced with, so many favorable policy statement had come and gone without implementation hereby relegating the struggles to power zero, it therefore became imperative we push for the implementation of the policy, immediate jacking up of all due workers with PGD to necessary grades as policy statement without implementation is like shooing a gun without bullet.

We see the development as a great challenge for all stakeholders to merge force for the remover of all obstacles to the nations search for technology advancement. The struggle goes beyond career progression, it is the emancipation of polytechnic education from marginalization, segregation and discrimination, agitation for parity at all fronts including funding and structures, a call for the autonomy of polytechnics to award degrees and higher degree certificates, a fight for the sustainability of polytechnic education towards the technological breakthrough of our beloved nation.

The scandalous policy (rumor) of scrapping polytechnics or their conversion to campuses of neighboring universities will meet the rejection of the students as it negates the objectives of polytechnic education that dealt with technical expertise and practical orientations which is not obtainable in the conventional universities. Polytechnic is a practical base institution and that is the global demand, it is expected that the polytechnic be accorded good treatment with utmost attention for it is theory that dissolve into practical for the sake of optimum productivity, but in our situation we give more prominence to theory rather than practical and our polytechnics are treated with frivolities, fragrantly discriminated and completely looked down upon.

We call for the change of attitude towards the polytechnic education and removal of all discriminatory policies which discourage students from seeking admission to technical based schools other than converting the system to campus of neighboring universities. It is our desire as patriotic Nigerians to see our polytechnics having autonomy to award degrees and higher degree certificates, treated with utmost respect in all ramifications and empowered to compete with polytechnics in the advance countries

Comrade Olugbode Damola
NAPS National PRO