The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has raised serious concerns over worsening insecurity and the rising cost of living in Nigeria, warning that these challenges threaten the safety of educational institutions and the welfare of academic staff.
The Union called on the Federal Government to strengthen national security measures and introduce economic relief initiatives to mitigate the effects of inflation and hardship on Nigerians.
The stance was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of ASUP’s 18th National Delegates Conference (NDC) held in Jos, Plateau State, which also saw the election of a new national leadership, with Comrade Shammah Kpanja emerging as President.
“The persistent insecurity plaguing the nation has continued to endanger lives and disrupt academic activities. Improved intelligence coordination and targeted protection of educational institutions are now imperative,” the communiqué said.
The statement, signed by National Publicity Secretary, Itoro Ekanemesang, also expressed frustration over what ASUP described as government neglect of the Polytechnic sector, demanding the immediate release of funds for the second phase of the NEEDS Assessment Intervention.
The Union stressed that sustained investment is critical to the survival of technical and vocational education in Nigeria, stating:
“The future of Polytechnic education depends on transparent, equitable, and accountable funding to all eligible institutions.”
ASUP called for the immediate payment of CONTISS 15 migration arrears owed to lower-cadre academic staff, describing the prolonged delay as “unjust, demoralising, and unacceptable.”
The Union further urged federal and state governments to clear all outstanding promotion arrears, salary shortfalls, pension liabilities, and third-party deductions, insisting that full compliance is the only acceptable standard.
The Union renewed its call to end the HND/BSc dichotomy, commending the National Assembly for reintroducing the bill and urging President Bola Tinubu to assent to it once passed. ASUP noted that abolishing the dichotomy would promote fairness, strengthen national unity, and modernize Nigeria’s workforce.
ASUP also strongly opposed attempts to outsource quality assurance functions of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to private vendors, warning that such a move would undermine the credibility and autonomy of Polytechnics.
“Quality assurance must remain the core responsibility of a public institution, not a profit-driven enterprise,” the Union declared.
The conference condemned the indiscriminate conversion of Polytechnics to universities, which it argued distorts Nigeria’s technical education framework. Instead, ASUP advocated a dual mandate structure, allowing Polytechnics to award degrees while retaining their core technological training mandate.
The Union reaffirmed its commitment to defending staff welfare, protecting institutional autonomy, and advancing a modern, resilient, and globally competitive Polytechnic system in Nigeria.
