Lorine Emenike
The Joint Union of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) in the Rivers State College of Health Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, has suspended their proposed strike.
The suspension followed an agreement between the unions and management of the college to address some of the issues raised by the unions.
Briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt, the chairman, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics in the institution, Comrade Promise Igoma said the Unions reached an agreement with the management on some of their grievances.
According to him “The College’s management and Executives of ASUP have met, negotiated and reached an agreement on issues relating to some of the grievances”
“Therefore, Congress has agreed that the strike should be suspended pending the implementation of the harmonised tertiary institution salary for the staff of the college and the speedy passage of the college bill by the Rivers State House of Assembly”.
Comrade Igoma also called on the state governor, Barr. E. N Wike, to come to the aid of the college and resolve the crisis once and for all.
Also, Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) of the same college, comrade Emmanuel Nwala, appealed to the management to carry out upgrading exercises within fourteen (14) days.
Theportcitynews reported that the union had on the 6th of September, issued a 14 days ultimatum to the management to address their grievances plus an additional 7days or face industrial action.
Some of the grievances include; undue interference in the affairs of the college by the ministry of health, the succession of principal officers, rehabilitation and resuscitation of the college infrastructures, amongst others.
