Fed Poly Offa ASUP queries management over missing Nov, Dec 2024 pension deductions

Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, Offa chapter, has again queried the management of the institution to explain what happened to the November and December 2024 pension deductions of staff of the institution.

ASUP has therefore issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the management to give credible reasons for the alleged conduct or expect a very decisive step by the union.

Chairman of the union, Dr. Idowu Atilola, raised the issue of the missing two months pension deductions in a statement on Friday.

The statement highlighted alleged financial impropriety on the part of the management in the continued face-off with the union.

“Just like several issues of financial impropriety, the union firstly observed that the management refused to give staff their payslips for the months of November and December 2024.

“Several entreaties were made for over six months by the union, requesting for those payslips but all were met with flimsy excuses. It was further observed that all staff did not have the regular pension deductions credited to their PFA’s for those two months.

“Our request from the Bursar/Rector for an explanation for the situation was met with vagueness and an unbelievable reason that the money was mopped up by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, OAGF.

“Our findings suggest that the information by the management was false and inaccurate as we were properly guided by a contact at the OAGF that statutory deductions are never mopped up, and if erroneously mopped up, a request from the management will bring about a reversal within seven days.

“Our further findings suggests that these monies have been diverted by the Rector for other uses best known to him.

“The implication of this criminality is that our staff that have retired will be unable to access their benefits because of incomplete pension remittance, and ⁠staff that want to withdraw 25% pension monies will be ineligible, while the accrued interest of those remittances will be lost,” the statement said.

The union described the alleged conduct of the management as gross violation of the Pension Reform Act 2004 and clearly a daylight robbery.

The union noted that the new platform for payment of pension deduction is active, as evidenced with the receipts of alert for some 2025 deduction, and advised the rector to immediately pay all outstanding pension deductions as we know all these monies are in the coffers of the school.

“Consequently, the management is hereby given 48 hours to give credible reasons formally for this conduct or expect a very decisive stance by the union.

“This message doubles as our notification to the Governing Council, if they will care to listen,” the union warned.

When contacted for the management’s reaction, the spokesman, Iroye Yinka, said he would get back later.