The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Abia Polytechnic chapter have embarked on an indefinite strike to press home demand for the payment of their three months salary arrears.
247ureports.com gathered that ASUP declared the action after the management of the Polytechnic failed to fulfill its promise of settling the salary arrears for the months of August, September and October.
Some of the lecturers who spoke to our correspondent said that they were disappointed that the state government couldn’t fulfill its promise to settle the arrears of salary by October 31st.
According to them, “We have suspended marking of exam scripts and supervision of students’ projects until the salary arrears are paid. Any attempt by the school’s management to announce date for the resumption of school would be an exercise in futility as we won’t be part of any academic activity as long as salaries are not.
“To make the matter worse, the government went on air to say that Abia Poly lecturers have been paid 7months arrears of salary from the bailout funds released to the state. So we are on strike to tell the world that we have not been paid. The state government should pay our salaries if they want us to resume classes.”
Efforts to get the reaction of the Chairman of ASUP in the institution , Comrade Uma Godswill, was unsuccessful as he failed to take calls and repeated text messages to his mobile number.
When our correspondent visited the institution, some offices at the administrative block were open while members of ASUP were seen at the main gate of the Polytechnic stopping their members who were on their way into the school, while the Acting Rector, Prof. Uche Ikonne, was said to be away to Umuahia for an official assignment.
