The Federal Government on Tuesday agreed to pay N20.4 billion arrears of new salary structure to the striking polytechnic lecturers, Supervising Minister for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said.
.
Wike made this known at a meeting with the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) in Abuja.
.
He said what was delaying the payment was an agreement by both parties on the modalities for the payment.
.
According to him, the CONTISS salary structure being agitated for by the union had been approved and also included in the 2014 budget.
.
The minister said with the CONTISS issue, three out of four issues raised by the lecturers had been resolved.
.
Wike, however, said the only outstanding Issue was the release of the white paper on visitation panel to polytechnics, saying that that the Federal Government was working on that.
.
It can be recalled that the union and government met in 2013 at the commencement of the strike where ASUP tabled 13 demands to the Federal Government.
.
Both parties, however, agreed on tackling four issues which could be resolved in the short term.
.
These include setting up a Needs Assessment Committee for the polytechnics; implementation of the CONTISS salary structure; constitution of governing councils for the schools; and the release of the white paper.
.
The minister advised the union to state the facts, especially when addressing the public as government was making concerted efforts to strengthen its educational system at all levels.
.
Wike noted that the aim of Tuesday's meeting was to identify grey areas that could be addressed for all to move forward.
.
He, therefore, appealed to the union to call off the industrial action in the interest of the country and the future of the students.
.
Earlier, ASUP National President, Dr Chibuzo Asomugha, said the union was not on strike for its own selfish interest.
.
Asomugha said the lecturers were fighting to strengthen the polytechnics, improve on the quality of students and give them the place they deserved.