The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has raised concerns over persistent salary delays, warning that its members may soon withdraw their services if the situation isn’t addressed.
In a statement released on Sunday, ASUP President Shammah Kpanja said polytechnic lecturers across federal institutions have endured irregular salary payments for the past eight months—an issue that began during the government’s transition from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).
“Our Union has observed a trend in the delay in payment of staff salaries across Federal Tertiary Institutions in the country in the last eight months… This new trend of subjecting staff of these institutions to the mental torture of enduring indeterminate periods of uncertainty… coincides with the transition of the tertiary institutions from the IPPIS payment platform to the GIFMIS platform,” Kpanja said.
He warned that ASUP may be forced to direct its members to stop work if salaries continue to be delayed. The union also hinted at the possibility of adopting a month-by-month approach—halting work at the end of each month until payments are made.
According to ASUP, blame has often been directed at the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, which oversees both payment systems. Despite repeated complaints, there has been no improvement in disbursements.
“Eight months is too long a trial period for the transition,” the union stated. “It is only a government that places low value on education that will treat staff of tertiary education institutions in this manner.”
ASUP expressed deep concern over the growing hardship faced by polytechnic staff, especially amid ongoing economic reforms. Many, the union said, now rely on borrowing just to survive each month.
Kpanja added that it is disheartening to see the academic workforce plunged into hardship while political elites live in luxury and continue to focus on upcoming elections.
ASUP is now calling for the immediate release of June 2025 salaries and an end to the ongoing pattern of delays.
“This call is made in the overall interest of the fragile industrial harmony in the tertiary education sector, particularly the Polytechnics, as no trade union will continue to watch her members go through these harrowing experiences every month.”
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