Akeredolu bows to pressure, sets up negotiation c’ttee to dialogue with striking lecturers

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state has bowed to pressure from the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo (RUGIPO) as he has set up a committee to look into the demands of the striking lecturers of the institution.

The Daily Times gathered on Thursday that Governor Akeredolu had held a meeting with the leadership of the ASUP and decided to set up a joint committee to negotiate on all the demands of the aggrieved lecturers.

A source told our correspondent in Akure that the governor who presided over the meeting before traveling outside the country with President Muhammadu Buhari to the United State of America, decided to set up a seven members negotiating committee.

The source who pleaded anonymity explained that the State Commissioner for education, Mr. Femi Agagu, is heading the negotiation committee to dialogue with the striking poly lecturers.

He disclosed that the Chairman of ASUP in the state-owned polytechnic, Mr. Rafiu Ijawoye, is also leading the team on the side of the striking lecturers to dialogue on the table in order to ensure the strike is called off.

According to the source, the main target of the committee is to fashion out how and ways at which the state government can meet the numerous demands of the striking polytechnic lecturers.

He disclosed that, although, pressure from some close associates and educationists forced the governor to meet the leadership of the protesting polytechnic lecturers before setting up the negotiating committee.

“The committee has seven members; three from the side of the government and three from the side of the union while one is from the side of the institution’s management” the source said.

Speaking with the Daily Times on the telephone, the ASUP Chairman of RUGIPO, Mr. Rafiu Ijayowe, confirmed attending the meeting at the governor’s office in Akure.

During the meeting, Mr. Ijawoye said the governor reviewed all the demands of the striking lecturers before setting up the negotiating committee to “dialogue” at ensuring that the school is reopened for academic and social activities.

He explained that the ASUP leadership, although, agreed with the government in the setting up of the committee but called a congress to intimate its members [striking lecturers] over the new development.

“So, we would hold our congress on this latest development but believe me, I cannot preempt what would be their reactions and next line of action but I know when we get to the bridge we will surely cross it” Mr. Ijayowe said.

The state polytechnic lecturers had embarked on an industrial action in early month of September while demanding for the payment of their ten months outstanding salaries and arrears.

The lecturers have being asking the state government for the immediate payment of their 16 months consolidated Polytechnic Salary Structure (CONPOCASS) allowance, which they claimed had been long overdue.

They accused the state government of slashing the subvention funds accrued to the school and not paying an alleged N2.1 billion subvention owing the institution.

According to them, the slash in the subvention had caused the inability of the school to pay the arrears of N1.7billion unpaid salaries of all staff in the institution in the last 10 years.

The striking lecturers have also been asking the state government to release more funds to the state owned polytechnic for the purpose of accreditation on some academic courses due for accreditation.

“All programmes being offered by the polytechnic are due for accreditation and are under the threat of being de-accredited due apparently to deliberate starvation of funds.

“This unfortunately, is due to palpably lackadaisical and inept attitude of the management and the insensitivity of the government towards the collective goals and aspirations of this oldest institution in Ondo state” the lecturers said.

The aggrieved students of the institution had protested to the governor’s office in Akure penultimate week with solidarity songs and asked the state government to urgently look into the demands of their striking lecturers by paying their salaries.

Several students sources told the Daily Times on the phone that the action of the striking lecturers had paralyzed academic activities on the school campus.

‘Tosin Ajuwon, Akure