F.G tell polytechnic lecturers 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.