Kunle ADELABU
The leadership of the Students’ Union Government of the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, has insisted on the Monday (July 6) deadline given to the Lagos State Government to find a lasting solution to the incessant crisis in the institution.
THE IMPACT also gathered that the representatives of the students met with the Head of Service, Mr Muri Okunola, on Friday (yesterday) at his office at Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, and demanded that the government must make its position on the crisis public on Monday.
At the meeting with the HOS were the LASPOTECH Student Union Government (SUG), Comrade Akindele David, Speaker, Students’ Representative Council, Rt. Hon. Balogun Babatunde Temidayo, and SUG Chief Judge, Justice Teslim Abiodun.
Others were the SUG General Secretary, Public relations Secretary, Treasurer, Welfare Directors (Ikorodu manin campus and Isolo) and the Deputy speaker.
The governor was away on official duty when the students arrived the Lagos House for the meeting that he scheduled with them.
Hundreds of the students of LASPOTECH had protested to the Lagos House and the Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday (July 4) where they insisted on speaking with the Governor of the State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, or the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.
About five Permanent Secretaries and other officials of the state later addressed the protesting students with a promise that the government will look into their demands.
The students later stopped the governor’s convoy at Ketu on their way back to Ikorodu, and he scheduled a meeting with them for the following day (yesterday) .
Speaking with LASPOTECH Students’ Union Government Chief Justice, Hon. Justice Justice Teslim Abiodun, after the meeting, he said that :
“We met with the HOS and we told him that we are not pleased with the closure of the school gates, shutting down of the school library, medical centre, ICT, basic amenities as well as the security of the students among other issues affecting the students.
“Our position is that we want the gates to be opened at all time and every other thing restored back to normal.
“He (Head of Service) said he’s aware of what we have been passing through and that they have set up a committee to look into all these issues.
“He stated that the committee has met with the management and the unions on the issues at hand and he will be briefing the Governor on the committee’s recommendations over the weekend”, Justice Teslim stated.
“In addition, he told us that the school management and the union members are still going to be invited for further discussion”.
On the ultimatum issued to the government to find a lasting solution to the crisis, Justice Teslim said that :
“He told us that he is committed to the resolution of the crisis and promised to get back to us between now and Monday on the recommendations of the government.
“We impressed it on him that without all these issues being resolved, we are not going to allow students to enter the school”, the Chief Justice stated.
He stated further that the students’ representatives also told the HOS that the government must make its position on the lingering crisis known to the public.
“We are hopeful that by Monday when the HOS will be getting back to us, the report of the committee set up by the government on the crisis would have been thoroughly considered, our own position given due consideration too and necessary parties invited for discussion while the government will make its position on the LASPOTECH issue known to the public”.
