The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) has announced that it will embark on a three-day warning strike starting from Wednesday, January 22, 2025, in protest against the alleged plans by some stakeholders to deny non-teaching staff of polytechnics and similar institutions their rightful career progression.
In a letter addressed to the Minister of Education on January 14, SSANIP expressed concern over what it described as an ongoing effort to block its members from advancing to the peak of their careers under the CONTEDISS 15 pay scale as part of the ongoing review of the Polytechnic Schemes of Service.
The association has called on the federal government to intervene, urging the Minister to ensure that non-teaching staff are not sidelined or deprived of their due career progression, emphasizing that addressing their concerns will not negatively impact the career progression of teaching staff, as the two categories have distinct salary structures.
The letter, signed by SSANIP National Secretary, Comrade Nura Shehu Gaya, was also sent to various government bodies, including the Minister of Labour and Employment, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the Executive Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, and the Inspector General of Police, among others.
The notice, titled Notice of Three-Day Warning Strike, reads in part: “The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) wishes to formally notify your esteemed office of our decision to embark on a three-day warning strike, scheduled to commence from midnight of Wednesday, January 22, 2025, through Friday, January 24, 2025.”
It continued: “This action has become necessary due to the ongoing plot by certain stakeholders to unjustly deprive Non-Teaching Staff of Polytechnics and Similar Institutions of their rightful career progression to the peak of their careers on CONTEDISS 15, as part of the redrafting of the Polytechnic Schemes of Service.”
SSANIP has consistently advocated for policies that promote equity and justice within the polytechnic system, calling for career progression policies that benefit both teaching and non-teaching staff.
Despite previous engagements with relevant authorities, the association lamented that little progress has been made on the matter.
SSANIP stated that the strike serves as a warning to highlight the seriousness of their grievances and to reinforce their commitment to ensuring non-teaching staff are not marginalized.
The association urged the government to take swift action to resolve the issue and prevent any further escalation, emphasizing its openness to dialogue and a peaceful resolution to avoid disrupting the polytechnic system.
