Mr Sanusi Adebayo, NOTSUP Chairman, Yabatech Chapter
By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu
The Non-Teaching Staff Union of Polytechnics (NOTSUP) has urged the newly inaugurated executive chapter of Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech) to show respect to the management of the institution.
Mr Shaba Nakorji, NOTSUP National President, gave the advice at the inauguration, presentation of appointment letters and certificates to the chapter’s executives and zonal coordinators on Thursday in the College.
Nakorji said that the Union and Yabatech management are expected to work in collaboration, adding, “You are meant to be partners in progress so that they can go along together”.
“The executive members must not in any way administer by arrogance, before they approach the management of the institution on any issue, they must have their facts and evidences.
“By so doing, they are showing respect, if they fail to do that, it means they want to cause problems between the management and the Union,” he added.
On what necessitated the Union, Nakorji alleged that the junior staff of polytechnics had never been represented by the Non-Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (NASUP), neither was the union concerned about their issues.
According to him, NOTSUP is registered as a polytechnic-based union with the Federal Ministry of Labour and it took nine years and seven months to get it registered.
The national president explained that the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) were originally Polytechnics Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (POLSAN) and SSANIP, but opted out after being registered as a polytechnic- based union.
He added that his association used to be under NASU but decided to pull out to become a polytechnic-based union and that there are criteria for any institution that wants to join.
“We are not in a haste and we are trying to avoid legal issues, that is why we have criteria for institutions to follow.
The NOTSUP National President declared that the group had Federal Government recognition, saying, “ we had our approval in August 2021 and in September, we received the approval letter.
“Also, we were also told to wait for three months before we can get our certificate and gazette,” Nakorji stated.
The president said that the union recently received its certificate and federal government gazette as well as various letters from the ministries of Labour and Education recognising NOTSUP as a legal entity
In his remark, Dr Ibraheem Abdul, Rector of Yabatech, said the management was passionate about the welfare of members of staff in the union, among others.
Abdul, who was represented by Mrs Badejo Harrieta, Deputy Registrar of the College, expressed optimism that the union would grow from strength to strength.
Speaking, Mr Sanusi Adebayo, NOTSUP Chairman, Yabatech Chapter, assured that the union had a responsibility to mediate with the management to ensure that members are properly treated.
Adebayo said that the union encouraged members to develop themselves professionally, adding that it was the reason why they were partnering with some of the financial institutions in the college.
“The welfare of our members is paramount, we’ll create enabling environment whereby they can generate extra income to take care of their families and attend to personal needs.
“This will translate to the development of the institution and self development,” he added.