Rector begs Bayelsa poly workers to return to work

The Rector of the Federal Polytechnic at Ekowe in Bayelsa, Dr Seiyaboh Idah, has appealed to workers in the polytechnic to call-off their indefinite strike in the interest of students.
Idah made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Yenagoa on Tuesday.
On July 8, three unions in the institution embarked on an indefinite strike over what they described as shortfalls in workers’ salaries, dating back to 2015.
Idah told the striking workers that returning to work would go a long way in resolving the issues in dispute, saying that the major cause of the salary shortfall was “due to a drop in personnel appropriations.
He said: “I assumed office in August 2016. When I came in one of the challenges I inherited was this salary shortfall. I took up the challenge and began to work on it.
“This issue of shortfall was there, before I assumed office.
“In 2015, our personnel appropriation was N915, 266, 508. For 2016, the appropriation dropped to N855, 775,185 and that happened before I came in August of that year.
“We made several presentations, made several visits to those that are concerned, including the ministries of education, budget and finance, among others.”
According to Idah, the school normally submits a budget proposal and it goes to the National Assembly.
He said: “But most times, appropriation is not exactly what you proposed.
“In 2016, when I assumed office, we were receiving 60 per cent of our salaries.
“However, in 2018 the appropriation rose to N1, 056, 732, 309 and the percentage of our salaries also increased to over 80 per cent.
“This is something we should commend the Federal Government for.
“But workers have gone on strike and all activities shutdown. I am appealing to them to suspend the strike for negotiations to be concluded.”
However, the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of the Polytechnic, Charles Amgbari, vowed that unions in the institution would not call-off the strike, unless the salary shortfall was rectified.
He added: “The management of the polytechnic has had series of meetings with our unions but we are not going back.”