Auchi Polytechnic gate

Members of Auchi community in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo have appealed to striking unions of the Federal Polytechnic Auchi to call off their strike.

The residents made the plea during a peaceful protest to the secretariat of the unions on Saturday.

They appealed to the unions to settle their disagreements with the management of the institution and call off the strike in the interest of the institution and the community.

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (NASUP) embarked on indefinite strike on Feb. 6.

The unions are demanding the enrollment of the members of staff into “CONTISS 15 Migration Salary Structure for levels 11 downward and payment of promotion arrears, among others.

Mrs Rabi Audu, Chairperson, Auchi Market Women Association said business and commercial activities had been paralysed in the community since the commencement of the unions’ strike.

“We are appealing to the unions to call off their strike so that the system can function normally,” she said.

Mr Fred Ikhiodamhe, a member of the comunity, urged the unions to show understanding as business and commercial activities had been affected.

“We appeal to the workers, the unions in the polytechnic, to please call off the strike and let academic activities resume,” he said.

Ikhiodamhe urged the unions to dialogue with the management to resolve the issue to enable academic activities to resume, for business to pick up in the community.

Addressing the group, the Vice Chairman of ASUP, Mr Anthony Ohimai said the unions were already engaging the management in discussion to resolve the issue.

“There is already a light in the tunnel. In the coming weeks the school will be opened having appointed a new Rector for the institution,” he said.

(NAN)