The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, on Tuesday, called for a resumption of the 2010 ASUP-FGN renegotiation agreement process following news of the widely “purported” salary increment for staff of public tertiary institutions in the country.

The union, in a statement signed by its National President, Dr Anderson Ezeibe, noted that the increment,  though a wage award, fell short of the agreement it had with the Federal Government and called for a review.

The union said the government ought to take into cognizance the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy before the announcement of a percentage increment.

“Our Union has undertaken a review of the recent approval and release of a new wage structure for Nigeria’s polytechnics, as communicated through the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission. Following the review process by our union’s team, it has become pertinent to put forward the union’s position on this recent development for the purposes of clarity.

“The new salary structure indeed reflects an increase of 35 per cent for Chief Lecturers; and 25 per cent for other layers of staff in the CONPCASS salary structure. This increase is a slight adjustment on the offer of 35 per cent and 23.5 per cent made by the government in the process of the renegotiation of the ASUP/FGN 2010 agreement in July, 2022. The offer fell short of our union’s demands during the renegotiation process.”

The union, therefore, renewed “our call for a conclusion of the ASUP/FGN 2010 agreement renegotiation which will usher in an improved and acceptable wage review reflective of the current economic realities through collective bargaining.”

It assured the government of “its readiness to engage in any such sincere and productive collective bargaining process which will improve the technical and vocational education landscape in the country.”