SSANIP Details Reasons Behind Possible Polytechnic Staff Walkout

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) has raised concerns over escalating insecurity, severe economic hardship, and persistent delays in fulfilling welfare obligations owed to polytechnic workers nationwide.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The union’s National President, Philip Adebanjo Ogunsipe, voiced these concerns during the 78th General Executive Council meeting at Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde Hall, Labour House.

Ogunsipe criticized the worsening state of workers’ welfare, attributing it to neglect and avoidable administrative bottlenecks. “Promises are made repeatedly, yet nothing is delivered. This is not governance—it is provocation of peace,” he stated.

He condemned delays in implementing the sector’s revised Schemes and Conditions of Service, as well as the stalled renegotiation of the 2010 agreement despite multiple assurances. “Silence us with action, not speeches, or you will meet us on the picket line,” he warned.

The union president denounced the National Board for Technical Education’s unilateral submission of revised service schemes to the Federal Ministry of Education, noting that unions were neither consulted nor involved. “This is not a process error. This is a trust assassination,” Ogunsipe added.

He highlighted that arrears in promotion benefits, salary reviews, wage awards, and the new national minimum wage remain unresolved, undermining workers’ morale and creating potential industrial unrest. “These are not favors—they are earned wages denied,” he emphasized, urging immediate government action.

Echoing these concerns, National Secretary Nura Shehu Gaya described non-teaching staff as the backbone of academic institutions, yet consistently sidelined in critical welfare decisions. “It’s not the workers’ productivity that is the problem—it’s administrative indecision and delay,” he said, encouraging staff to remain committed despite ongoing issues.

National Trustee Godwin Ikhide called for unity among labour unions, warning against internal divisions. “A unified workforce is powerful. Unity is strength, not rebellion,” he said, stressing collective action as essential for achieving fairness and accountability.

Branch Secretary of the Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas, Bonny, Comrade Pepple Sidney, noted that the emergency GEC meeting aimed to address systemic constraints and seek collaboration with institutions and government. “We did not come for photographs. We came for justice with timelines,” he said.

A senior member concluded the meeting by summarizing the council’s sentiment: “We love Nigeria. We no longer trust delay,” capturing the growing frustration among polytechnic staff.