The Federal Government has approved the sum of N20.4billion as salary arrears to the aggrieved members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP.

Nyesom Wike, the Supervising Minister of Education, said what was delaying the payment was an agreement by both parties on the modalities for the disbursement of the money. He noted that the CONTISS salary structure requested for by ASUP had been approved by the FG and was also included in the 2014 budget.

Wike added that apart from the release of the white paper on visitation panel to polytechnics, which is the only outstanding issue raised by the lecturers, all other three demands have been met.

He assured the union that the government was working on the outstanding issue and expressed optimism that it would be resolved soon.