Akwa Ibom Polytechnic Workers Block Gates Demanding Retirement Age Increase
A banner displayed at the gate called for state government intervention to implement the proposed retirement age.
Binye-lum 
Members of the Non-Academic Staff Union at Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osura, intensified their strike on Thursday by blocking all entrances to the institution. The workers are demanding an increase in the retirement age to 65 years.
As a result of the blockade, students and lecturers were unable to enter the campus for early morning classes. A banner displayed at the gate called for state government intervention to implement the proposed retirement age.
Despite the chief security officer eventually ordering the gates to be reopened, the union's demands remain unmet as the strike continues into its second week.
An anonymous lecturer suggested that the strike might be driven by dissatisfaction over academic staff receiving a 65-year retirement age. The lecturer proposed that non-academic staff seeking the same benefit should consider transitioning to academic roles to contribute to the institution's scholarly work.
