ASUP Strike Looms as 15-Day Ultimatum to Federal Government Expires
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) is poised to strike as its 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government expires at midnight on October 23. The union has raised concerns about the government's failure to address its demands related to a new scheme of service for polytechnic lecturers.
Chris Oyeoku Okafor 
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has expressed concern as its 15-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government approaches expiration without any resolution. The deadline, which expires at midnight on Wednesday, October 23, was set to address grievances regarding the contentious new scheme of service for polytechnic lecturers nationwide.
The union had suspended a previous strike action on July 22, hoping the government would intervene in the review of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). However, ASUP's Zone D Coordinator, Iloma Richard, noted that little progress has been made since, citing the NBTE's reluctance as a major setback.
Richard emphasized that the union would proceed with strike action if the government fails to meet its demands by the ultimatum's expiration. The looming industrial action has sparked anxiety among students and lecturers, who fear disruptions to academic activities across polytechnics in the country.
ASUP maintains that the strike postponement was intended to give room for meaningful dialogue, but the lack of progress has left the union with no choice but to mobilize members for industrial action, should the government remain unresponsive.
