The Joint Action Committee of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics in Ogun State has sought the implementation of Governor Dapo Abiodun’s proposed minimum salary of N77,000.
The union questioned why polytechnic workers in the state were not permitted to benefit from the new minimum wage, even though the government had begun implementing it for other governmental servants in the state two months earlier.
ASUP has also expressed concern over the state’s blatant neglect and lack of support for polytechnic education.
The union unequivocally attacked the state government’s refusal to enhance the N5 million monthly subvention that the state’s polytechnics had been receiving for almost 15 years, despite economic fluctuations such as galloping inflation, among others.
Nurudeen Masopa, Zonal Coordinator of ASUP Zone C, which includes the South-West area, said this during a briefing on Thursday at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic in Abeokuta.
The union chairs of the six government-owned polytechnics attended the briefing.
Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta; Ogun State Institute of Technology, Igbesa; Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic, Ijebu Igbo; D S Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori; Ogun State ICT Polytechnic, Saapade; and Ogun State Polytechnic of Allied Health and Sciences.
Masopa stated that it is the constitutional obligation of polytechnic proprietors to guarantee that these institutions are appropriately supported.
He expressed disappointment that the state government had not performed adequately in this area, citing Tetfund’s frequent interventions as a saving grace for the institutions.
Maso noted that “part of what has proven to be detrimental to the progress of polytechnic education in Ogun State is insufficient funding.”
“Ideally, it is the proprietors’ job to support tertiary institutions. This is not the situation with Ogun State Polytechnics.
“It is worth noting that most polytechnics in Ogun State receive only N5,000,000 per month as a subvention, which is grossly inadequate in light of current economic realities.”
“at addition, despite approval from the federal and state governments, the new minimum wage has not been implemented at all Ogun State-owned polytechnics.
“Another difficulty is the failure to execute the 25%/35% wage hike granted by the National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission (NSIWC) in Ogun state-owned polytechnics, as well as the continuing withholding of arrears from January 2023.
