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ASUP Says Banning Of Trade Unions By Obaseki Is Lazy, Despotic Reaction

ASUP Says Banning Of Trade Unions By Obaseki Is Lazy, Despotic Reaction

*vow to challenge action

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has Described the banning of trade unions activities in Edo State-owned institution by Godwin Obaseki as Lazy, Uncouth and despotic reaction to issues of the trade dispute in the institutions by the state government in a democratic dispensation.

National President of ASUP, Comrade Anderson Ezeibe while reacting to the development, said ASUP will challenge the action to any level within the ambit of law.

Comrade Ezeibe said the purported ban is in response to a demonstration by students protesting the ongoing industrial action by Trade Unions in the state-owned university.

He lamented over backlogs of salaries owed to ASUP members in
Edo State Polytechnic Usen, adding that the institution is the worst administered Polytechnic in the country.

According to him, the institution is running programmes without accreditation by the regulatory body

“It is a contradiction for a government installed through the globally acclaimed rights of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly which represent the core values of democracy to descend to such level of intolerance to same values.

“The Edo State Polytechnic Usen, which is the only Polytechnic owned by the Edo State government and currently under the direct “rulership” of a certain Acting Rector is one of the worst administered polytechnics in the country today.

READ ALSO: Edo 2020: Igbadumhe Accuses Oshiomhole, Obaseke For Crisis In The State

“Backlog of salaries are owed staff, governance structures are severely deficient, infrastructure is abysmal and reliant on the annual intervention of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund; while the maximum ruler of the Polytechnic takes delight in obstructing smooth running of the polytechnic by terminating lawful tenures of officers holding administrative positions at will, contrary to the established laws of the Polytechnic.

“This underlines the reason why the Polytechnic has been running programmes without due accreditation by relevant regulatory bodies.

“Rather than progressively addressing these issues in the interest of students, majority of whom are youths from Edo State, the response of the institution’s “ruler” is to hound union officials relying on the support of an intolerant Edo state government.

“We condemn in totality this purported ban as it does not have the support of the law with Labor being on the exclusive legislative list and clearly beyond the meddlesomeness of state governments.

“Our Union shall challenge this to the e full extent of the law, the same way we are challenging the same disposition by the Kogi state give a law-abiding call on our law-abiding members to remain peaceful despite this provocative act as we shall prevail in the end.

“We also call on the regulatory body the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to remain resolute in the enforcement of standards in Edo State Polytechnic Usen by ensuring that the institution meets the requirements for institution, management and programmes accreditation as captured in the regulatory books before it can enjoy the accreditation of its programmes”.

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