Academic Staff Union Of Polytechnics (ASUP) of the Federal Polytechnic Mubi chapter, Adamawa State, has urged the Federal Government to constitute panel to investigate alleged non-remittance of staff pension contributions by the institution’s management.

Chairman of the Union, Comrade Kadala Solomon Bandi, made the call at a press conference held in Mubi on Thursday, where he demanded forensic audit and constitution of verification panel by the Federal Ministry of Education and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to look in to the pension issue.

Bandi, who stressed the need for urgent intervention, lamented that the non-remittance of staff pension contributions had spanned up to ten years under successive administrations of the institution.

He stated that the failure to remit pension deductions to the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) and the National Pension Commission (PenCom) constituted a violation of the Pension Reform Act 2014.

“The Management of this institution has not paid the deducted fund to Pencom for almost one year and six months, and in some cases two years and three months, after deducting the contribution from staff salary as required by law.”

The union leader revealed that pension contribution deductions covering November and December 2024, January through December 2025, and July 2026 remain unremitted.

“Our pension contributions had not been remitted for periods ranging from six to ten years across successive administrations.

“The financial implications are staggering. Under Section 11(7) of the Pension Reform Act 2014, defaulting parastatals are required to pay a penalty charge of two percent of the defaulted amount.

“With the total unremitted sums estimated at N1.3 billion, the institution faces potential penalties of approximately N38 million, representing a significant drain on public funds.” He said.

The union also called on the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and critical stakeholders to come to their aid, while appealing to the Federal Government to address the crisis.

The union said it had exhausted all avenues for internal negotiation without tangible results, leaving it with no option but to embark on an indefinite industrial strike.

“The union had been on strike action to essentially demand for her members’ unremitted Pension Contribution deductions,”

Speaking on the development, the Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr. Abdulrahman Aspita Ishaku, accused ASUP of violating the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the union and the institution’s management by failing to suspend its ongoing strike.

Ishaku said all the issues raised by ASUP were genuine, adding that the management had demonstrated good faith by covering the expenses of union leaders who travelled to Abuja for verification.

“The management has demonstrated good faith by addressing the concerns raised by the union, including footing the bills for their leaders to travel to Abuja for verification.

“The action taken by ASUP has pulled down the academic performance of this institution, and we have witnessed a troubling drop in enrollment figures,” he added. (Daily Trust)