The Academic Staff of Union of Polytechnic, Delta State chapter, has called on the state Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa to address the issue of Shortage of Staff in the state institutions.
The Union decried the shortage of Staff in the two state-owned polytechnics. ASUP made its position is known to the press through The ASUP Zonal Coordinator, South-South and South-East, Mr. Precious Nwakodo, and the chapter Chairmen, Delta State Polytechnics Ogwashi-Uku and Otefe, Mr. Joseph Iwezu and Mr. Henry Obeh respectively at Ogwashi-Uku.
ASUP lamented the lack of Staff in the State-owned polytechnics government. Citing that the government hasn’t organized any recruitment program in the institutions since 2008.
Further, the Union bemoaned how the State government is yet to replace dismissed, retired, and resigned staff. According to ASUP, the state government’s negligence in addressing this issue has led to the staff shortage.
The Union added that about 60 percent of the staff of these Polytechnics are full-time employees while others are employed on an ad-hoc basis. As revealed, ASUP believes that having such massive percentage of ad-hoc staff will limit the effectiveness of the workforce in the institutions.
Therefore, the group declared that it gave Governor Okowa 30 days ultimatum to review his position on Salary subvention of the Union. Since the introduction of the policy in April 2022, staff of the institutions now receive salaries three weeks into the new month, which hurts the economic lives of these workers.
They urge the Governor to attend to the issues with a willingness to revive the Polytechnics. Lastly, ASUP implored Governor Okowa to consider its submission and enhance the welfare condition of its members.
