Polytechnic teachers under the auspices of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) have urged the federal government to end the long delays of payment of their salaries and allowances or face withdrawal of service.
The union said it has observed a trend in the delay in payment of staff salaries across federal tertiary institutions in the country in the last eight months.
In a statement signed by ASUP president, Shammah Kpanja, the union warned it may be forced to direct her members to stay away from duty in all affected polytechnics if the situation does not improve in the coming days.
He said: “This call is made in the overall interest of the fragile industrial harmony in the tertiary education sector particularly the polytechnics as no trade union will continue to watch her members go through these harrowing experiences every month as government continues to undermine her contractual obligations to workers at the end of each month.
“Our union may be forced to direct her members to stay away from all affected polytechnics if the situation does not improve in the coming days and sustain same until the salaries are paid; while adopting same pattern at the end of each month going forward.”
The statement titled: “Habitual Delay in Payment of Salaries Across Federal Polytechnics in Nigeria”, said the delays is likely due to the transition of the tertiary institutions from the IPPIS payment platform to the GIFMIS platform being handled by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.
It said: “Our Union has observed a trend in the delay in payment of staff salaries across Federal Tertiary Institutions in the country in the last eight months.
“This new trend of subjecting staff of these institutions to the mental torture of enduring indeterminate periods of uncertainty concerning the release of the severely devalued pittance now referred to as salaries coincides with the transition of the tertiary institutions from the IPPIS payment platform to the GIFMIS platform.
“Role players in the responsibility chain have consistently placed the blame on the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation attributing same to delay in the funding of the different institutions for the salaries over these eight months”.
ASUP said it has consistently complained to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation without the desired improvement, thus, “leaving staff of different Federal Polytechnics in distress at the end of each month.
According to ASUP: “We are led to believe that the only plausible reason for this deliberate torture is the low value placed on the academic community by the government.
“This is because both payment platforms are hosted by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and it is expected that the transition between the payment platforms and using essentially same payroll information will be smooth and flawless.
“Eight months is too long a trial period for the transition and it is only a government that places low value on education will treat staff of tertiary education institutions in this manner.
“Our union condemns this undeserved treatment being meted out to workers in the tertiary institutions particularly in a difficult economy like ours.”
ASUP lamented that workers in different tertiary institutions have been turned to beggars at the end of each month, adding that the salaries have become worthless salaries only serving to service debts incurred in the course of each month.
“It is equally shameful that while the academic community is being punished with such penury, political leaders continue to entertain themselves in mindless opulence and power grabbing activities for the next elections.
“This is unfortunate and symptomatic of a terminally sick nation. We hereby renew our calls for the release of June 2025 salaries to tertiary institutions in the country without any further delay and a departure from this new trend of delay in salary payments in the coming months,” the union demanded.
Onyebuchi Ezigbo
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