OGUN, Nigeria – Academic activities in Ogun State’s six government-owned polytechnics could be disrupted as the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) approaches the final days of a 15-day ultimatum to the state government over unpaid allowances and other welfare concerns.
The union warned that failure by Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration to address its demands could trigger industrial action, with possible consequences for students and academic calendars across the institutions.
Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Chairman of ASUP at the Ogun State Polytechnic School of Health and Allied Sciences, Ilese-Ijebu, Comrade Adeyemi Kolawole, said the union was demanding the immediate implementation and payment of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA).
He also raised concerns about what he described as inadequate government funding for the institutions, alleging that some polytechnics had received monthly subsidies of only ₦5 million for more than a decade. “While CATA/EAA implementation remains the immediate and central focus of our agitation, we must also express our deep concern over the persistent challenges confronting the six state-owned polytechnics in Ogun State,” Kolawole said.
The union further accused the state government of failing to meet its pension counterpart funding obligations, remit workers’ pension deductions and extend palliative payments consistently to polytechnic employees. Kolawole called for increased investment in technical and vocational education, warning that inadequate funding and unresolved staff welfare issues could undermine the institutions’ ability to train young people. “Neglecting the polytechnic sector is therefore tantamount to undermining the educational aspirations and future opportunities of thousands of young people,” he said.
Other union leaders at the briefing represented Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic, Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Ogun State Institute of Technology and D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic.
The union’s ultimatum places pressure on the state government to resolve the dispute before industrial action begins.
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