Kunle ADELABU
-As Govt, LASPOTECH management, students await striking staff Congress outcome
The executive and legislative arms of the Lagos State Government and stakeholders at the crisis-ridden Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) are now counting on the striking staff members of the institution to accept the appeal of the Ad-hoc committee set up by the State House of Assembly on the crisis, to sheathe their swords.
Hon. Tunde Buraimoh, Chairman of the ad-hoc committee on Lagos State Polytechnic Management/Staff Union crisis and other members of the committee on Monday, July 8, 2019, met with some of the parties involved in the crisis following the ultimatum issued by the students of the institution during their protest at the State government Secretariat on Thursday, July 4, 2019.
At the meeting were the Rector of the institution, Mr Samuel Sogunro, other management members, representatives of the non-academic union and the executive of LASPOTECH Students’ Union Government.
LASPOTECH students were represented at the meeting by Comrade Akindele David (SUG President), Rt Hon. Balogun Babatunde(SPEAKER), Justice Teslim Abiodun (Chief Judge), Comrade Yusuf Azeezat (Vice President 1), Comrade Afolabi Kehinde (Vice President 2), Comrade John Taiwo (P.R.O), Comrade Badmus AbduLateef (Financial Secretary), Comarde Akano Afeez (Social Director)
Others were Comrade Alatise Olayinkia Emmanuel (Welfare Director, Ikorodu) and Comrade Aadeshina Yusuf (Sports Director)
THE IMPACT gathered that the resolution at the meeting was unable to be adopted by the parties following the position of the representatives of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) that they cannot take decision at the meeting but at a Congress where members of the union must sanction such resolution.
Hundreds of the students led by their leaderships had protested to Lagos House and Lagos State House of Assembly and issued an ultimatum to the government to ensure that the institution’s gates that were closed by the protesting staff members are open and other amenities work as normal.
According to our sources, the meeting, which lasted about five hours and chaired by Hon. Tunde Buraimoh,was held at the State Assembly Complex, Alausa, Ikeja.
Among several resolutions arrived at during the meeting were:
“That, all parties must work towards peace and allow rule of law to reign in LASPOTECH.
“That, management must pay all pending promotions due to court processes and that all arrears incurred must also be paid.
“That, implementation of the 2017 NBTE regulations on new salary structure and conditions of service should be followed.
“That, the executive arm should ensure LASPOTECH sustains due cognizance it has given to the harmonized modalities of the NBTE and it should be across all levels”.
In addition, it was also resolved at the meeting that, “The school management should restrategize and reorganize security arrangement to avoid confrontation between the students and the security”.
THE IMPACT also gathered that it was also resolved at the meeting that, “No Union member should be punished for this industrial action so far, but that sanctions may be placed on both parties for flouting the resolution(s) of the house committee.
It was also resolved that, “The sum of 10 million naira should be awarded to the slain student whose parents chose to settle out of court”.
According to sources, the resolutions are yet to be adopted by the House of Assembly but were only read informally to the parties as a way of finding temporary solutions to the lingering crisis and to allow students to write their examinations scheduled for Monday, July 15, 2019.
THE IMPACT also gathered that the union, at the meeting, revealed that the implementation of the ‘No work, No pay’ policy by the management necessitated the shutting down of the institution.
It was also gathered that the Rector of the institution, Mr Samuel Sogunro, when asked about the implementation of the ‘No work, No pay ‘ policy, confirmed its implementation and stated that the Lagos State government gave him the directive.
THE IMPACT, however, gathered that the Permanent Secretary from the Office of the Head of Service confirmed the directive.
It was also gathered that at the meeting, the Rector told the committee that “officially, the school was not shut down”, when asked to confirm the students’ position that the institution was shut down .
The leadership of the Students Union at the meeting raised concerns about the forthcoming examinations and the need for the students to do it in a conducive environment.
They also called for the gates leading into the school to be opened and the issuance of LOC and Certificates for other students that have graduated.
Meanwhile, the ad-hoc committee Chairman on the crisis has appealed to both parties ,especially the representatives of the Union members, to shealth their swords, open the institution’s gates and allow students to do their examinations which commence next Monday.
It was gathered that the chairman, in an interim order, stated that the representatives of the union should discuss with their members and ensure that all gates are opened by Tuesday (today).
The union, we gathered, promised to communicate their resolutions to the Assembly before the close of work on Tuesday(today).
It was also gathered that the committee also enjoined the executive arm of the Lagos State Government to ensure that staff salaries are paid since the directive to implement ‘no work, no pay” came from the state.
An enlarged meeting, involving the management and representatives of all the unions in Lagos State Polytechnic was fixed for Monday, July 15, 2019.
The students’ union representatives are to join partake in the meeting if their examination do not starts as scheduled.
Hon. Buraimoh also appealed to the students against any further protest and asked them to always bring their matter to the Assembly for intervention.
The striking staff members have paralysed both academics and non-academic activities on the Ikorodu main campus of the institution and also locked the three gates that lead into the school premises.
Their action has also shut down academic support facilities and basic amenities like library service, issuance of necessary letters to students, medical services among others.
Also according to report, the aggrieved staff members, in order to underline their seriousness in grounding activities on campus, have been keeping vigil on the campus and wearing protest shirt with inscriptions like, “Sogunro led management must go”.
