ASUP D.S. Adegbenro I.C.T. Poly, Itori, decries non payment of minimum wage, pension, salary arrears, etc

......Demands appointment of substantive Rector of the Institution

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic, ASUP, D.S. Adegbenro I.C.T. Polytechnic, Itori, has decried non payment of Minimum Wage, CONTISS 15 Migration, Pension, appointment of substantive Rector, payment salary arrears, repair of dilapidated polytechnic structures, today Wednesday 17th of May, 2023. 

According to the Chairman, ASUP D.S. Adegbenro I.C.T. Polytechic, Itori chapter, Mr Dairo Lukman, the salary arrears and pension of staff were denied, the polytechnic is owing staff salaries since 2006 while counterpart and pension deduction have not been paid.

When our correspondent visited the Institution premises, it was like a den of reptiles as everywhere was bushy, most of the buildings are in dare need of maintenance, so many roofs of the lecture rooms have been destroyed by winds but the Management of the Institution refused to do the needful. 

Meanwhile, the institution is blessed with over 3,000 students whose tuition and other levies being paid, can maintain the Institution apart from the remittance to Ogun state Government coffers. 

Other I.C.T. Polytechnics established by the Gbenga Daniel led administration are doing wonderfully well, apart from Gateway I.C.T. Polytechnic in Itori, according to our report. 

However, the Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) Mr Dairo Lukman pleaded to Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun (MFR) to wade into the matter before the staff embark on an indefinite strike action due to the carelessness of the leadership of the Institution. 

ASUP demands:

(A) THE GROSS DISREGARD FOR THE LAW ON PENSIONS AND FUTURE OF THE STAFF:

(i) It was observed that the Management has little regard for the Law on Pensions and the welfare of her human resources (members of this Union) when several months of Pension arrears had remained unpaid despite all references made to them;

(ii) That the previous Management, led by Professor Fatade had approved the payment of some amount, (#10million) with a Payment Plan, for the remission of Pensions during his four-year tenure, which was kept aside as at his transition but was unfortunately, not remitted till date;

(iii) That the employer’s contributions required by the Law had not been attended to at all since 2006;

(iv) This deprivation has demoralized the members when placed in comparison with their contemporaries in other institutions, while the current harsh economic realities and the recent loss of a member make other members lament the fate of their welfare and their future;

(v) That with many instances, she had had to shift grounds, and the members of the Union had shown great understanding in her agitations, which had not been compensated with the necessary actions; and

(vi) That the Management had not adhered to her promises and expressed actions as regards the payment of the backlogs.

(B) NON-IMPLEMENTATION CONSEQUENTIAL ADJUSTMENT TO SALARIES:

(i) It was observed that despite the hand of fellowship stretched to the Institution with the condition of a convincing presentation to the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, the Ag. Rector had persistently hesitated and bluntly refused to put the necessary information and presentation across, towards the implementation and sustenance of the  Minimum Wage, till the Inauguration of the Governing Council;

(ii) That the Ag. Rector had bluntly refused to present facts and figures to the new Governing Council, which could have facilitated the implementation, at the suspension of the 2022 work to rule exercise;

(iii) That the Management had also refused to work with the Union in a mutual agreement towards implementation, when possible, even while the Union gave a long rope to pull;

(iv) That the members of the Union would encounter double-jeopardy with the arrival of a new Minimum Wage Structure, when the Old Structure had not been granted yet, and the impending worrisome removal of subsidy on petroleum products in the country this year; 

(v) That it is disheartening that of all the Institutions in Ogun state, it is only at D.S.A.P. that Minimum Wage has not been implemented (In fact, the embattled MAPOLY has started enjoying the Minimum Wage from January 2023 and arrears of October, November and December, 2022 salaries are to be paid with their next salary); and 

 (vi) That the Management may be delighted at seeing her officials being laid back among their peers and made to suffer terribly.

(F) THE REFUSAL OF THE MANAGEMENT TO PAY BACKLOG OF ARREARS OF SALARIES:

(i) The Congress discovered and frowned at the lengthy list of salary arrears owed since 2007.

(ii) She also observed that promises made by the Rector, particularly before the Commissioner had been carefully discarded;

(iii) That the portions paid within 2021 were amputated bits which were so meagre;

(iv) That some members of staff who were expected to be beneficiaries were also deprived from the latest payment in 2021, and

(v) That afterwards, the Management had turned deaf ears to the rewards for years of sweat which under the law, must have been delivered.