Academic activities at the Federal Polytechnic Mubi appears to be on hold following an industrial action by members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, which began on Monday.

Members of the union have since deserted the institution to signal the kick off of the strike action occasioned by the inability of the school management to meet their demands.

The strike action was heightened following a collapsed dialogue between the union and the management on Friday which ended in a deadlock.

With the present situation, ASUP quickly advised parents not to risk their children back to the institution due to tension on the campus.

Hussaini James, ASUP Chairman Federal Polytechnic Mubi, in a statement made available to newsmen in Yola stated “non-implementation of arrears, victimization of the Union Executives and members through unlawful termination of appointments, tactical reduction of check off dues by the Bursar, denial of promotions, non inclusion of union representatives in all Polytechnic committees and above all, the non inclusion of the union’s members in Academic Board which contravened Polytechnic Act 2019″, as some of the complaints not made by the school management.

The management of federal Polytechnic Mubi in an attempt to discuss the burning demands raised by ASUP summoned a Board meeting on Monday 19th October 2020.

” ASUP had earlier declared the Board illegal on ground that it was non-functional, not inaugurated and the management denied the union’s representation which is alien to any federal Polytechnic.

“The Union has learnt of the convocation of the Academic Board meeting for the purpose of the consideration of the re-opening of the school and that of the revised Academic calendar.

“This action of the management is not only regrettable but also an insult to the entire Academic Staff of this institution, while the union is not against the convocation of the Academic Board, the union frowns at the continuation of the blatant abuse of the Polytechnic Act borrowing a leaf from the unfortunate tenure of Dr.Sadiq A.Yahya,” the statement reads.

The statement added that “the position of the Academic representation on the Board is none negotiable, the decision of the Board without the input of our representative is null and void, more so, now that the union has declared a trade dispute.

” With this position, ASUP has totally declared that there is no Academic Board on ground presently and the union will not recognize any decision taken by the so-called board because it has representatives of Academic Staff as provided for in the new Polytechnic Act.”

For the safety of students on campus, ASUP asked parents not to allow their children back to the institution due to looming strike action.

Effort to get in touch with the management proved abortive as non returns call made to them.