FG urges polytechnic teachers to end strike

    
The Federal Government has urged the Governing Councils of Federal Polytechnics to prevail on striking lecturers of the institutions to accept the offer made them.

The Federal Government had offered N40 billion for the payment of CONTISS 15 arrears in two instalments.

The Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, made the call on Friday at a meeting with the chairmen of the

Governing Councils of Federal Polytechnics in Abuja on Friday. He said the government was determined and remained committed to the payment of CONTISS 15 in two instalments, with the first in March and the second in November.

He said that the Federal Government’s offer also applied to striking members of staff of Federal Colleges of Education.

He said that the two instalments of the payment of the arrears to both polytechnics and colleges of education was put

at N40 billion.

At an exhaustive meeting with the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, we agreed on the two instalment payment

of the CONTISS 15.

We have since raised a memo to the President to this effect. I took the risk of committing government because we are deeply

worried over the prolonged strike.

Thereafter, ASUP wrote to inform us that they have rejected this offer.

“Please, as chairmen of Polytechnic Governing Councils, we ask that you communicate our commitment to adhering to the schedule of payment. All the processes are on and we are committed to resolving the strike action.”

He called on the chairmen of Governing Councils of Federal Polytechnics to prevail on striking Polytechnic staff to accept

the offer to pay outstanding CONTISS 15 arrears in two instalments.

Wike said that their acceptance would lead to the immediate resolution of the ongoing strike and stressed that the Federal Government was unhappy that polytechnic students were at home.

He said that the Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation was already concluding work on the release of the

white paper on the report of visitation panels to the institutions.

The minister added that work on the Needs Assessment for polytechnics and colleges of education were about being concluded.

According to him, the Jonathan administration will tackle the rot in the institutions the way it is implementing the Needs Assessment report on universities.

He, however, appealed to unions of polytechnics and colleges of education to focus on the welfare of their members and not on

the appointment of rectors and provosts.

Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Chairman of the Committee of Chairmen of the Governing Councils of Federal Polytechnics, commended the determined efforts of the minister to resolve the strike by polytechnic staff.

Babatope said that with the detailed briefing by the minister, the governing councils would inform staff of their respective

polytechnics on the commitment of the Federal Government to pay CONTISS 15 in two instalments.

He said Nigerian polytechnic staff needed to return to their jobs so that further progress could be made.