Federal Polytechnic Ekowe, Bayelsa State, decried unjust threats, intimidation and disciplinary actions on Members.

In Ekowe, The Academic Staff Union Of Polytechnic (ASUP), Ekowe, Bayelsa State, has decried the unjust treatment melted on their members as a Union by the Management of the Institution which has caused and is still causing them untold hardships and equally demoralizing them in putting their best in discharging their duties optimally.

The Union, in a Communique issued at an Emergency Congress held on July 7th, 2023 in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, made available to TrackNews Media read ; “Arising from the deliberation of the Congress, the review of the suspended strike action that was embarked upon on the 6th of August, 2022, and was suspended on 31st of August, 2022 and the subsequent reminder (6th December, 2022 and 10th March, 2023: find attached).

The following observations were made by the Congress as unresolved issues:

1.) Promotion implementation and Arrears for:

i. 2018 promotion arrears.
ii. 2019 promotion arrears
iii. 2020 promotion implementation and it’s arrears.
iv. 2021 promotion implementation and arrears
v. 2022 promotion implementation and arrears till date.
2.) 2023 Implementation of annual step increment and it’s arrears from January 2023 till date.
3.) The agreed 2% academic allowance.
4.) Impress.
5.) Infrastructural decay in the Campus (Classrooms, Desks and Teaching Kits).
6.) Running the Institution from the Liaison Office after one decade of establishment.
7.) Poor security in the Campus.
8.) Unkempt working environment.
9.) Poor power supply that crippled academic activities.

So in the light of the above observations, Congress resolved that effect from Monday 10th July, 2023, the Union shall embark on an indefinite strike action”.

Some other members expressed their displeasure in different statements issued to Tracknews Media. “Our members have been meted with series of threats, intimidation and disciplinary actions by Management, in the discharge of their assigned duties instead of encouragement, without providing the enabling working environment.

Our members spent a large part of their salaries going to work on campus weekly, while the rest (including Management) work from the comfort of the liaison
office”.

Another statement read “Our Members are left to work with little or no imprest, very poor daily power supply on campus, an untidy and poorly protected working environment, including cost of transportation to work, feeding, excess work load and overtime, just to mention a few. The union is not pleased with this trend of provocative actions taken against our members who have given their all for the growth of the institution.”

All our efforts to reach the rector Dr Agbakiaba to speak to us proved abortive.