By anthony anyanwu
The National Headquarters of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has directed her members nationwide including Imo State Polytechnic Umuagwo and Federal Polytechnic, Nekede to embark on strike with immediate effect. The strike has to do with internal and nation-wide grievances and agitations of the union.
The internal grievances at Imo Poly include the inability of the management of the Polytechnic to respond to letters on the resolution of the problems of the workers which include non-reinstatement of staff who were unduly retired in September 2012, non- release of staff promotions from January 2009 to 2012, and non- confirmation of appointment of staff who met the requirements of the conditions of service of the Polytechnic.
Other problems are non-payment of six months arrears of monetization owed serving and retired staff since October 2011 and withholding of union’s check-off dues and national levies for several months.
The union is accusing the Rector Rev. Fr. Wence Madu who is also the Parish Priest of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church Mgbirichi of running the institution like a department even after the reconstitution of the Governing Council. There are allegations that the Rector engaged old and retired individuals from outside the Polytechnic as contract Staff on consolidated salaries and allowances ranging from fifty to two hundred thousand naira per month. Most of these contract staff who are alleged to be his relations and church associates are indiscriminate engagement of contract staff and employment of other categories of workers without the knowledge and approval of the Governing Council have increased the monthly wage bill of the institution to the extent that the Rector now borrows from banks to pay salaries.
The union is not happy at the failure of the Rector to secure accreditation of courses from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) after receiving over one hundred and sixty million naira from the state Government for the purpose. The final year students of the polytechnic are not participating in the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC).
Another source of worry to the union is the non observance of due process and tenders in the award of contracts in the institution and the use of funds meant for research projects. On the other hand, the nationwide grievances of the union are under-funding of Polytechnic and non implementation of the harmonized CONTISS 15 migration modalities and sixty five retirement age for all the staff of Polytechnics in line with the agreement reached between the Federal Government and NASU for reneging on the agreement, NASU has declared seven days of warning strike in all the Polytechnics in the Federation to press home its demands.
It will be recalled that the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) has been on strike over some of these demands including the appointment of unqualified persons as Rector of Polytechnics by some State Governments. The directive of the National Headquarters of NASU was communicated to the members of the union at a general meeting held in the Polytechnic yesterday, May27, 2013.
