National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has raised an alarm over Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic’s(ASUP) proposed industrial strike after the current lockdown that is caused by coronavirus pestilence.
An alarm was raised in a release personally signed by NAPS’ Global President, Comrade Olalere Benedict and made available to Naija Today News on Tuesday, May 19th.
In his words, “solidarity greeting from the national secretariat of NAPS. As we pray , observe and hope that lockdown becomes a thing of the past soonest”.
“It is important to continue in the service with which we have been entrusted and as such, our attention is focused on the imminent ASUP industrial action soon”.
“In a bid to avert that ridiculous situation, therefore we call on government and ASUP to resolve the ongoing rift caused by Integrated Personal and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) , making payment of salaries and allowances of polytechnics lecturers rather cumbersome”.
“Strike of any kind would be the most unreasonable experience after the prolonged academic coma. Should that happened, God forbid , polytechnics students nationwide would not hesitate to resist it fiercely”.
“According to the Secretary General of ASUP, Mr Shammah Pkanjan , as at 15th of May, 2020, over 80% of staff of polytechnics are yet to be paid salaries”.
“That development is deplorable and capable of retarding the growth of the sector so advocated”.
“It is important for the federal government to revisit the IPPIS design with a view to eliminating apparent irregularities identified by ASUP and other analyst, for the interest of our education sector generally. That would definitely reduce the criticism and unwillingness of staff to participate in it”.
“Once again, I commend the understanding and courage of all polytechnics’ students across the country during this lockdown. May God heal our land”.