Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) in Zone D, covering South-South and South-East Nigeria, has thrown its full support behind a 21-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government to address critical challenges plaguing polytechnic education.
The ultimatum, effective from August 18, 2025, was announced following the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.
During an emergency Zonal Executive Council meeting in Port Harcourt, ASUP Zone D Coordinator, Dr. Illoma Richard, reiterated the union’s stance.
He noted that a two-week strike, initially suspended in December 2024 to foster dialogue with the government, has yielded little progress.
“Despite our efforts to resolve these issues amicably, the situation has worsened, threatening the survival of Technical and Vocational Education in Nigeria,” Richard stated.
Key grievances include the delayed approval of a dual mandate structure for polytechnics, the absence of a dedicated regulatory commission for the sector, and alleged military interference in ASUP activities at Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Imo.
The union also demands the implementation of promotions and payment of arrears dating back to 2019, the release of salary review arrears, and the renegotiation of the ASUP/FGN 2010 agreement.
Additional concerns involve discriminatory practices against Higher National Diploma (HND) holders, stalled NEEDS Assessment interventions, and the outsourcing of quality assurance activities.
Richard emphasized that the union’s demands have been clearly communicated to the relevant authorities. “If the government fails to act before the ultimatum expires, we are prepared to mobilize our members across the 11 states in Zone D,” he warned.
ASUP Zone D represents polytechnics and monotechnics across Nigeria’s South-South and South-East geopolitical zones, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
