Workers of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic have sent out a “Save our Soul” message asking well meaning people of the State to prevail on Governor Ibikunle Amosun not to embark on any more action that will further pauperize the state.
The workers in the message signed by Kola Sopade, Kola Olawunmi and Babatunde Osifalujo NASU Chairman, SSANIP and ASUP chairman respectively, the workers painted a gory picture of situation at the institution which Amosun is transmuting to a University of Technology.
The workers said although they were not opposed to the setting up of MAUTECH, it was not clear whether the Poly was transiting to MAUTECH or to Ogun State Polytechnic Ipokia.
The save our soul message read:
“Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) as an institution started out as Ogun State Polytechnic, Abeokuta, in 1979 until 2017 when Governor Ibikunle Amosun muted the idea of transmuting the Polytechnic to Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology (MAUSTECH) vide a Bill passed by the House of Assembly cited as Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology Law, 2017 and establish an entirely new Polytechnic at Ipokia known as Ogun State Polytechnic, Ipokia. Since then, so many problems had engulfed the Mapoly due to the government refusal to listen to our advice, and presumptuousness of the Professor Peter Okebukola Technical Committee.
The Problems
Highlights of the problems that ensued thereafter are:
• The hitherto re-known peaceful, buoyant and enviable institution of academic excellence had since been threatened by the self-inflicted crises created by the State Governor culminating in continued strikes, protests, negative publicity and extended academic calendar.
• The Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) amongst all other tertiary institutions in Ogun State had efficiently and enviously sustained itself over the years on its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). Whereas the only source of the IGR is the School fees paid by students, there has been embargo on admission of students into MAPOLY especially the ND programmes for two consecutive academic sessions.
• The decision of Governor Amosun to hurriedly upgrade MAPOLY to a University of Science and Technology and the creation of a new Polytechnic at Ipokia without the willingness to fund the system has grossly affected the only source of IGR to MAPOLY.
• Outstanding salaries and allowances of members have not been paid since February, 2019 and we are now in April. The outstanding salaries and allowances of December 2017 is also yet to be paid. The deductions from staff cooperatives totalling about seventy million Naira is being withheld by the authorities.
• Pension deductions of staff from September 2017 to date, totalling N170,000,000 is being withheld by the state Government.
• At present, no member of Staff in MAPOLY is sure of his/her appointment status as there is no definite direction as to what happens to the personnel of the Institution since MAPOLY had been decreed to have expired.
• As a matter of fact, it is not yet clear as to whether MAPOLY is transiting to MAUSTECH, or MAPOLY is transiting to Ogun State Polytechnic, Ipokia. Presently, the newly inaugurated Governing Council for Ogun State Polytechnic is sitting on MAPOLY campus, and also the newly appointed Vice Chancellor for MAUSTECH is already struggling for an office accommodation on same campus, even when the MAUSTECH Board is yet to be inaugurated.
Recent Situation
One of our Unions (ASUP) on Wednesday, 6th of March 2019 patriotically suspended its work-to-rule action and commenced the second semester examinations, even at a time no member of staff had received any salary in the year 2019. This is borne out of the concern to return the institution to the path of glory.
The three Unions on Campus met with the Rector – Dr. Samson Odedina on Monday (8/4/2019) to deliberate on the recent pronouncements and developments as to the commencement of academic activities in Ipokia. We thereafter resolved as follows:
1. The welfare of all cadres of staff should be guaranteed covering all the required logistics as required in best practices
2. All outstanding salaries, allowances, dues, deductions, etc. Should be collated for prompt payment
3. The Rector agreed in principle to present these request before the Governing Council at its next meeting on Thursday (11/4/2019)
OUR SOS
The Union is getting the feelers that the Government’s next attempt is to disband the three Unions, sack all the executive officers of the Unions and begin a systemic clampdown on other staff members. Our sin is that we are demanding for what is legitimately due to us.
The public is hereby assured that we are in no way opposed to the genuine and laudable idea of transmuting Mapoly into Maustech in Ojere, Abeokuta or the Creation of Ogun State Polytechnic at Ipokia. Neither are we oblivious of the economic, social and political importance of setting up a higher institution of learning of this status in any community. We therefore appeal to the general public and well meaning people of Ogun State, to prevail on the Governor not to embark on any action that will further pauperise our members.
