Poly staff embark on warning strike over minimum wage arrears

By IKE UCHECHUKWU, Calabar

The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics, SSANIP, has embarked on a 14-day warning strike starting from Jan. 4 to press home their demands.

The directives to embark on the strike is contained in a release signed by the Acting National Secretary of the association, Comrade Emmanuel Enyiegor on Monday in Calabar.

The association said that the reason for the warning strike was occasioned by the constant neglect of the demands of the association by federal and state governments, in spite of several efforts made. “This is to bring to the attention of all the members that the General Executive Council had on December 17, 2020, approved the commencement of 14-day warning strike with effect from January 4.

“Members are by this notice directed to refrain from going to office from Monday, January 4, 2021.

“We demand the immediate re-evaluation and implementation of NEEDS assessment report and release of funds for the Polytechnic sector without further delay.

“We demand the complete payment of salaries and arrears of minimum wage for staff in the Polytechnic sector starting from the period of implementation in April 2019.

“We demand the release of the scheme of service for Polytechnics immediately. This has been put on hold by the National Board for Technical Education for three years without any concrete explanation,” the release stated.

The association, however, expressed displeasure with the state governments of Benue, Cross River, Abia, Ondo, Ogun, Osun and Kano for their refusal to non-payment of correct outstanding salaries to staff of the Polytechnics and Colleges of Health.

“The union decries the nonchalant attitude of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to issues of SSANIP as regards salaries of members.

“We demand the constitution of Governing Councils in all federal and state Polytechnics,” the release stated. (Vanguard)