The Chairmen of the Governing Councils of Federal Polytechnics have vowed to mediate in the dispute between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) with a view to ending the lingering strike action.
The Head of the forum of Polytechnics Governing Council Chairmen, Ebenezer Babatope, who led his members on a courtesy visit to the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike in Abuja on Friday February 28, 2014 said that his members had earlier been briefed exhaustively by the Executive Secretary of National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Mash’d Kazaure on the steps taken so far towards resolving the issues in contention, saying their visit was to enable them hear from the Minister himself.
Ebenezer Babatope after receiving an update from the Minister expressed confidence that the Federal Government would keep to the commitments it has made to the leadership of the Union, noting that President Goodluck Jonathan is not known to renege on his promises. He therefore urged the Union to give the Federal Government benefit of the doubt.
The Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike affirmed that the Federal Government has offered to pay the outstanding arrears of over twenty billion naira in two installments, which the Union is opposed to.
Nyesom Wike also expressed some fears about the stiff position of the Union over government’s decision and policy, citing the IPPIS which he said is to ensure prudence and accountability as well as the issue of appointment of officers which the union wants to influence as example.
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