THE Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics has called on the general public to hold the federal government and its agencies responsible for any strike it embarks upon over the unsatisfactory status of the implementation of the union’s Memorandum of Action signed with the government in April 2021.

This was contained in a statement signed and made available to ASUP’s Publicity Secretary, Abdullahi Yalwa, on Sunday.

He said during the 101st regular meeting of the National Executive Council of the Union held at the Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, Ogun State, the report of the implementation of the union’s MoA with the Federal Government was received and discussed.

According to him, of particular interest in the items include the non-release of Minimum Wage arrears to staff of federal polytechnics and several state-owned polytechnics, non-release of the approved N15bn Revitalization Fund for the sector more than three months after the approval, among others.

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He said, “In view of the unsatisfactory status of the implementation of the union’s MoA signed with the government in April 2021, the Nigerian public should hold the government and its agencies responsible for any other breakdown of industrial harmony in the sector as our union and her members have shown considerable patience and restraint.

“The union once again demands that the government should without further delay ensure the release of the arrears of the Minimum Wage to staff, release the approved Revitalization Fund for the sector and set up the implementation Committee to administer the funds, recommence the Renegotiation of the Union’s 2010 agreement and withdraw institutional accreditation to State-owned institutions where salaries are owed to staff.”

He warned that the union would not give any warning again to the government if it (government) failed to urgently do the needful.