ASUP Rejects Federal Government Loan Proposal, Demands Payment of Salary Arrears
By Joseph Iyaji | Akahi News
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has rejected the Federal Government’s proposed loan scheme for its members, describing it as a mere distraction. The union insisted that all outstanding financial entitlements must be settled before any new schemes are introduced.
Speaking on Friday during a press conference organised by ASUP Zone B at the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, the National President of the union, Shammah Kpanja, expressed disappointment over the government’s handling of long-standing issues.
It will be recalled that ASUP, after an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on August 14 in Abuja, gave the Federal Government a 21-day ultimatum to settle 12 months’ worth of salary arrears and other outstanding demands or face a nationwide strike.
Kpanja revealed that the government’s latest response—a letter advising members to wait for the 2025 budget implementation before payment of salary arrears—was unacceptable.
“Just two days before our last NEC meeting, the ministry sent a scanty letter claiming all our issues were being considered. But on the matter of our 25/35 percent salary arrears, they said we should wait until the 2025 budget is implemented,” he said.
He described the government’s approach as contradictory, questioning: “If the 2025 budget hasn’t been implemented, where is the funding for loans coming from? You haven’t paid me what you owe, but you’re promising loans. That’s a contradiction. Our position as a union is clear: settle all outstanding liabilities before offering us loans—especially when we weren’t even consulted on the scheme.”
Despite the frustration, Kpanja confirmed that the Ministry of Education has invited the union for further dialogue, though he noted that previous resolutions remain unfulfilled.
Also speaking, Lumpye Innocent Simji, Zonal Coordinator of ASUP Zone B, lamented the prolonged delay in granting polytechnics a dual mandate to address the discrimination against holders of Higher National Diplomas (HNDs). He criticised the Ministry of Education for what he described as a lack of commitment to genuine dialogue and proper implementation of agreements.
Simji warned that failure to address the issues within the union’s ultimatum would leave ASUP with no choice but to withdraw its services nationwide.
“Our NEC has resolved that if nothing is done about this long list of unresolved issues, we will be left with no option but to declare a trade dispute and commence a nationwide industrial action,” he said.
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