The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, has asked the Nigerian government to provide receipt of shortfall of teachers’ salary and promotion arrears released.
President of ASUP, Dr Usman Dutse, made the demand in a statement on Monday, noting that evidence of payment of funds by government will determine its next move to call off the strike.
Recall that the Federal Government had on Saturday said it released N16.8 billion to settle outstanding salary arrears of staff in the country’s tertiary institutions.
Malam Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education, said this during the“Sixth Edition of the Ministerial Press Briefing’’ in Abuja, adding that disbursement is ongoing through the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to solve issues and demands raised by ASUU and ASUP.
Adamu said that the government had resolved all issues and await the academic unions to also call off their strike in the coming days, especially ASUU and ASUP.
But, reacting, President of ASUP, Dr Usman Dutse, said the Union was yet to receive any payment from the government.
He insisted that the evidence must have to emanate from the Office of Accountant-General of the Federation and not necessarily to reflect on their bank salary accounts before the congress of the union would decide the next line of action as regards their ongoing strike.
The statement read “We are still waiting for concrete evidence from the Federal Government showing the details of payment of the N16.4 billion shortfall of members’ salary and promotion arrears and another N30 billion revitalisation funds.
“The Federal Government met with ASUP representatives last Thursday and presented the efforts of government to address the lingering crisis including the claims of raising N46.4 billion to pay shortfall of salaries arrears and revitalisation while promising to fast-track other issues.
“That was the understanding between us at the meeting but as at today (Monday), we are yet to get evidence to prove the release of such fund.”
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