The Management of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Thursday, prevented members of National Executive of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics in Nigeria from entering the school premises.
This development came following the declaration of indefinite strike action by the Academic Staff Union of the institution .
The National Executive Council of ASUP which scheduled its press conference in the school on the ‘Deplorable condition of polytechnic education in Nigeria’ had to hold it at the school gate.
The Union’s zonal Coordinator, Olawale Omobaorun said, “they say we are not going to enter, and we are trying to tow the line of peace, we will stay at the gate and address the press.”
He also claimed that the state governor was after the life of the Chairman of the MAPOLY Chapter of ASUP, Comrade Kola Abiola.
According to him, “the government of the state is after our chairman and that is why you are not seeing the chairman here today”.
“Let the world know that the life of Com. Kola Abiola is in threat. If anything happens we will be ready to face the government.”
The ASUP in a statement by the President, Malam Usman Dutse lamented the sorry state of polytechnic education all over the country.
The statement, which was read by the Vice President, Timothy Ogunseye, highlighted the significance of Polytechnic education as well as the challenges thereof.
He said, Polytechnic education, “if well harnessed will boost Nigeria’s technological know-how, improve ICT, create millions of employment opportunities and raise the level of both theoretical and practical technological literacy.”
The Union said governments at all levels had subjected to annihilation the Polytechnic sector, which according to the statement “feeds and caters for millions of youths and families.”
It cited some issues facing the sector, which include, ‘Sorry state of State-owned institutions; ‘victimization of Union officers; ‘withdrawal of allowances; among others.
The statement reads in part: “Polytechnics and monotechnics belonging to state governments have continued to wallow in deplorable conditions”
It said chapter chairmen in various polytechnics in the country have been sacked “in glaring cases of victimization” while there have been no intervention.
The Union also decried what it called “Infractions in the appointment of Rectors” citing MAPOLY as an example.
It alleged that the new rector was a “retired school principal with little or no experience in teaching at the tertiary level, research and community service”.
The Union disapproved the appointment of Mr. Saliman Tella by the state government, saying there are more qualified personnel in the school.
It said MAPOLY can “boast of about 30 chief lecturers with fifty seven Ph.D holders”.
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