Polytechnic lecturers in South-West Nigeria have expressed deep concern over what they described as government neglect of the sector, warning that unresolved issues could trigger a nationwide strike.
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Zone C, speaking at a press briefing in Ogun State, said critical agreements reached with government remain unfulfilled more than a decade later.
Zonal Coordinator Masopa Nurudeen listed 13 pressing concerns, including unpaid allowances, stagnated promotions, underfunded infrastructure, and the failure to implement the 2019 Polytechnic Act in state-owned institutions.
He also criticised the Federal Ministry of Education for allowing accreditation personnel to be outsourced, which he argued encouraged corruption and undermined quality assurance.
On welfare, the union pointed to unpaid arrears of consequential salary adjustment, CONTISS 15 arrears pending for over ten years, and delayed promotion benefits. The union also noted that many polytechnics operate under acting leadership, which stifles institutional growth.
ASUP further lamented the government’s reluctance to abolish the Higher National Diploma/Bachelor’s Degree dichotomy, despite the passage of a bill by the National Assembly, and called for urgent review of the 2010 ASUP/FGN agreement, which has remained stagnant for 15 years.
“The rapid response mechanisms that once helped avert disputes have been abandoned,” Nurudeen said, adding that continued neglect risks industrial unrest.
The union maintained that without decisive action, polytechnic education in Nigeria would remain underfunded, undervalued, and unstable.
