MAPOLY: SSANIP, NASU Berate Gov. Abiodun For Flouting Polytechnic Act Over Refusal To Appoint Rector, Governing Council

Gov. Abiodun

ABEOKUTA - Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) Chapters have knocked Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state for his refusal to appoint a substantive Rector for the Polytechnic and composition of Governing Council.

The Unions under the umbrella of Joint Action Committee said the refusal of the Governor to appoint a substantive Rector for the Polytechnic has left the institution to be mismanaged.

Addressing journalists on Wednesday on the Polytechnic's campus, Ojere, the SSANIP Chairman, Comrade Lekan Dada noted the appointment of Dr. Adeoye Odedeji as Acting Rector for over two years contradicted the Polytechnic Act.

Dada maintained that the Polytechnic Act only permits the State Government to appoint someone in acting capacity must not be more than six months.

According to him, after the expiration of the six months acting Rector, only the Governing Council is empowered by the Polytechnic Act to appoint a substantive Rector for the institution.

He, however, argued that the unavailability of the Council to perform its statutory roles as enshrined in the Polytechnic Edict has continued to affect the smooth operation of the institution, stressing that any function performed by the management outside its statutory duty without the approval of the Governing Council would be considered illegal, null, and void.

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"The delay by the State Government to constitute Governing Council for the institution for 2years and 6months, as the council is the only body empowered by the polytechnic Act to carry out or perform certain functions. Needless to say that any function performed outside this statutory body could be described as illegal, thanks and avoid. Particularly, the non-availability of the Council to perform its statutory roles as enshrined in the Polytechnic Edict has continued to affect the smooth operation of the Polytechnic. 

"The refusal of the Government to appoint a substantive Rector for the polytechnic leaves much to be desired. This is even when the state government is aware that its current stand of appointing someone in acting capacity over 2years now is against the polytechnic Act, which only permits that appointment in acting capacity must not be more than 6months following which the Governing Council must appoint a substantive Rector. 

The group also expressed displeasure over non payment of November December 2021 salaries adding that numbers of staff cannot take care of their health owing to the nonpayment of salary. 

 

Dada also lamented on the none implementation of the new minimum wage in this institution noting that it is also of major concern. 

"This is no doubt long over-due as the state government commenced implementation of the new minimum wage to civil servant in October, 2020. Moreso that some Polytechnic like Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade in the state have commenced implementation of the same."