Kunle ADELABU
The striking staff members of the Lagos State Polytechnic have reacted to the arrest of their colleagues on Thursday, July 11, 2019,stating that such action would not solve the lingering crisis rocking the institution .
They also alleged that the government is acting on lies fabricated against them by the Sogunro-led administration which the staff unions have been having face off with in the institution for about two years now .
In a joint press release by the Chairmen, Senior Staff of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP), Comrade Abiodun Thomas Awoyemi and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Comrade Semiu Akinlawon Fasasi , the aggrieved staff members stated that they won’t stop their agitations until the Rector and his management team are removed.
The release, titled, “Arrest and Prosecution of 38 members Of Our Unions: On our mandate we stand, Sogunro-led management must go!”, reads thus:
“No doubt, the Sogunro-led Management has once again misfed the Governor, His Excellency, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, with concentrated lies about our agitations, as it did with the former Governor, Mr Akinwumi Ambode, and all the functionaries of the Government in Alausa.
“The Governor’s Executive Order to arrest us (the striking workers) won’t solve the problems! Our industrial action is beyond just forcing the gates open. We have refrained for too long from shutting down the Polytechnic but we resulted to that to get the attention of the Governor for him to call us for talks and to disproof the Management that only a few aggrieved staff members are protesting, but instead, the Governor reacted violently against us.
They alleged that the state government functionaries are dancing to the tunes of the LASPOTECH Management, which, according to them, has bought them over.
“We won’t blame the Governor yet until we are able to have his attention because all that have been related to the Governor about us have been the position of the Sogunro-led Management on all issues raised by the Unions because the Management is so powerful and have bought their ways into the hearts of the various functionaries of government in Alausa.
“Yet, we won’t be deterred until the Sogunro-led Management is removed and an Investigative Panel of Inquiry is instituted to unravel the TRUTH behind our allegations of high-handedness, maladministration and the financial recklessness of the Sogunro-led Administration”.
Also, in the press release, which was jointly issued by SSANIP and NASU and a copy of which was sent to THE IMPACT, the union leaders appealed for the release of the 38 union members arrested on Thursday, July 12,2019.
They also demanded for the removal of the Sogunro-led administration, failure of which they will occupy the seat of government at Alausa.
“However, in protest against the arrest of our members and our demand for justice, we appeal to the Government to order the release of our members and removal of the Sogunro-led administration without further delay, else, we shall be forced to OCCUPY Alausa until our demands are met”, the union threatened.
“Worthy of note is the impression being created by the Sogunro-led Management to government that only the Non-Academic Staff members are aggrieved, this is a pure lie. Rather, it is both the Academic and Non-Academic staff members that are aggrieved, including other members of the polytechnic communities within and outside.
The aggrieved staff members denied being sponsored by the opposition party.
“We are also aware that the Sogunro-led Management has lied to the APC Government in Lagos State that we are being sponsored by the opposition party to paint the Government black. This is also a BLANTANT LIE, rather, the opposite is the fact. We are public servants and not politicians, yet, we have individually made our choice by voting Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. It is rather unfortunate that our shouts and rally on “APC – NEXT LEVEL” through out the campaign period is now being rewarded with arrest, detention and imprisonment”.
While stating that their protest is not targeted at the government, the union leaders stated that their demands include the implementation of CONTISS 15 Migration, stoppage of alleged staff members harassment and mismanagement by the institution’s management among others.
“The Unions are not fighting the Government contrary to what has been painted by the Sogunro-led Management, we are also not asking Government for additional funding as being posited by the Sogunro-led Management, rather, we are asking for proper application of the NBTE circulars for the implementation of CONTISS 15 Migration, change in the use of rule-of-thumb, vindictiveness, high-handedness, nepotism, gangsterism, misapplication and reckless application of the Polytechnic funds by the Management.
They vowed to continue their agitations for justice no matter what comes their way while also adding that their struggle is in the interest of the students and the institution at large.
“Even in the face of death, we won’t stop our agitation for justice against the oppressive and dictatorial Sogunro-led Management. We are not striking against the students either but for genuine institutional growth and development of the Polytechnic in human (staff and students) , material and physical sense”.
