FEDPOLY Ado-Ekiti Workers Call Off Strike

Lastest report reaching news desk has it that the three union workers at the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, have finally suspended their over two-month-old strike.

The unions are the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP).

It would be recalled that the three union workers at the institution embark on an indefinite strike to protest  non payment of their allowances. The members were also demanding the sacking of the Rector, Dr. Theresa Akande, for an alleged financial fraud. The bicker between the workers and the Rector, Dr. Theresa Akande paralyzed Academic activities at the institution.

As at the time of filing this report, normalcy has returned to the Federal Polytechnic, Ado –Ekiti, after unsettle academic calender owing to the perennial strike by the unions. The three union have resolved to returned to work after a meeting with the Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, in Abuja.

Briefing newsmen in Ado-Ekiti at the weekend, representatives of the unions said the decision to suspend the strike was arrived at by members after their meeting with the Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, and minister of labour in Abuja.

ASUP Chairman, Owoeye Tunji, said at the Abuja meeting, also attended by the Minister of Labour, the management of the institution was directed to pay CONTISS 15 to workers of the school.

He added, “Apart from that, all other issues were trashed. The management was asked to withdraw all queries and pay backlog of salaries. On the deduction of pensions from casual workers, the issue is being resolved by the management. The issue of cooperative deductions is still lingering, but we are going to resolve it amicably.
“We are open-minded. We are suing for peace and we will allow for give and take. The management has been directed to implement the Ibrahim Shekarau’s order”.

The SSANIP Chairman, Dr Ayeni Wole, canvassed the setting up of what he called industrial unit which would help to tackle issues before they explode, adding, “It is better to do so than set up reconciliation committee when issues have gone out of hand.”

The representative of NASU, Ajayi Tope, advised the management to be sincere in its actions. He also urged it to take issues relating to staff welfare seriously.

On its part, management of the institution, in a statement by the Deputy Registrar, Information, Ade Adeyemi-Adejolu, said it was prepared to abide by the terms of the agreement within the resources available.

Adejolu commended the unions for giving peace a chance and expressed happiness that normalcy had returned to the school.