Kunle ADELABU
-Governor sets up panel to investigate crisis
Residents of Ikorodu have reacted to the arrest of the 38 staff members of the Lagos State Polytechnic in early hour of Thursday, July 11,2019, at the Ikorodu main campus.
They reacted to the dramatic turn of event at the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu main campus on THE IMPACT WhatsApp platform, blaming the Lagos State Government and stakeholders in Ikorodu for allowing the crisis to linger on for about three years.
The striking union members have been keeping vigil on the campus in protest against the stoppage of CONTISS 15 Salary Migration, alleged misrule by the institution’s Rector, Mr Samuel Sogunro, intimidation and harassment by the management among others.
The police entered the campus around 1am and arrested some of the protesters and whisked them away to Shagamu road Police station in Ikorodu and later to Panti where they were interrogated.
They were later charged and arraigned at the Ebute-Metta Magistrate Court and granted bails but had to be remanded at the Kirikiri when they were unable to meet their bail conditions.
The students of the institution, led by their leaders, on Friday, July 5, 2019, protested to the Lagos House and the Lagos State House of Assembly over the incessant crisis that has engulfed the institution and threatening their academic careers.
Based on the students’ protest, the Assembly’s Committee on LASPOTECH Crisis, led by Hon. TundeBuraimoh, met with the management, union representatives and the students’ leaders.
Assembly’s Intervention
The Assembly’s Committee recommended the following :
“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”.
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 any party that flout 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”.
LASPOTECH Union’s Rejection of Assembly’s Intervention
The union, in their reaction on Monday, July 8, 2019, rejected the Assembly’s plea and recommendations.
They called on the government to do justice to what they termed, “high-handedness, maladministration and financial recklessness, which according to them, characterized the administration of the present Rector, Mr Samuel Sogunro.
They issued counter-recommendations as follows;
Our industrial action is predicated on a number of demands which are :
“Reversal of our salaries to December 2018 status as the correct implementation of CONTISS 15 Salary Migration. How can a Lecturer 3 in LASPOTECH be placed on Level 8 and the same Lecturer 3 in Yabatech or any other Polytechnic in Nigeria be on Level 9?”, the union asked.
“Reversal of Summary Disengagement of NASU Leaders and members”.
“All outstanding promotions and increments since 2016/2017 must be properly awarded in line with migrated salaries”.
“All cases of victimization, demotion, interdiction, suspension should be reviewed”.
“All phantom criminal cases/charges against the Union members be withdrawn, all the undeducted and withheld Union dues be paid immediately and the campus should be immediately demilitarized”.
The union also called for the institution of an Investigative Panel of Inquiry.
More so, the union alleged that the management is set to send the children of the striking staff members whose parents have been unable to pay their school fees, due to the protracted crisis in the institution which has hampered their income, out of school.
Ikorodu Residents’ Reactions
MrLekanAbagun, reacting to the turn of event, condemned the government’s action and called on the Ikorodu representatives, both at state and federal levels, to intervene.
“Sincerely speaking, I think it is wrong on the part of the state government and our representatives to allow the issue of LASPOTECH to linger this much. I hope that our lawmakers, both at the state and federal levels, have not been compromised?”, he asked.
“The state government and House of Assembly are deliberately looking at the crisis getting worse by the day.
“The Assembly Committee and one of the camps of the two warring factionsallegedly acting god. My people, I think that more should be done to resolve this issue.
“Please, let the state government gets something done about this issue before it gets to a totally irredeemable level ”, he appealed.
Mistura, a former students’ leader, also called on the government to act quickly.
“This issue is getting worse daily. It needs Governor’s intervention. He should do the needful as soon as possible”.
Mr Hassan, a lecturer with Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), and former students’ leader of the Lagos State Polytechnic, in his own reaction, stated that the issue has degenerated.
“It has degenerated beyond what we are seeing”.
AlhTaiwoOdumbo, an educationist, in his reaction, also blamed the government for its failure to resolve the crisis among its employees.
“My greatest worry about the whole incident is that all the major stakeholders involved in this crisis (the Governing Council, Rector, Registrar, PRO, NASU-Lagos Poly, SSANU-Lagos Poly and the rest) are all employees of the government and yet, the government can resolve the crisis! “.
MrBalogunOlatunbosunRotimi, an aspirant for the Ikorodu Constituency I seat at the Lagos State House of Assembly on the platform of ANN, in his reaction, stated that :
“Let’s well-meaningIkorodu indigenes and non-indigenes come to the aid of the persecuted and oppressed staff members. We only hear about salary increase, but at LASPOTECH, we have salary decrease, reversal, reduction, denigrating, etc. LASPOTECH needs help!!”.
Barr AdeboyeDankwo, a legal practitioner, community leader and social commentator, described the lack of intervention in the crisis as grave concern.
“Please, why is this LASPOTECH crisis seems too difficult for the state government to handle?
“Why this unnecessary conspiracy of silence from all quarters that matter most? It’s getting too worrisome. This is a pure invitation to an endless anarchy….or is our dear state taking clue from the federal government on insensitivity to people’s plight?
“This call for grave concerns for the well-meaning people of Ikorodu in particular…”
Dare Odufowokan, a journalist, while stating that the issue is getting out of hands, also called on the warring factions to sheathe their swords.
“The LASPOTECH issue is getting out of hand. Before it is too late, I want to sound a note of caution to (1) all the warring parties in the institution (2) all the onlookers who are actually in a position to intervene (these include political office holders, prominent indigenes and alumni of the school and (3) the traditional institution in Ikorodu.
“To put it straight, I do not approve of the tactics and approaches of the unions in their current struggle. Like I have told some of their leaders, there are better and more conventional ways to achieve their desired results. Truth be told, some of their approaches and actions are too crude for modern day activism. Of course, these are my personal opinions.
“However, the arrest, detention and today’s jailing of striking workers is unbelievable and a wrath taken too far. How on earth did this matter get to that unforgivable stage? The government, the management and all those who should have intervened to prevent this ignoble decision goofed, and the end result may not be palatable for all stakeholders.
“God forbid anything bad like incapacitation or death happens to any of those in detention, how are we going to address that and resolve the crisis? It is time we put our angers aside and still put more premium on the things that unite us.
“Few words are enough for the wise; I appeal that we should allow reason to prevail promptly. Without delay, let us ensure the unconditional release of the arrested staff; without delay, let all parties return to the discussion table; without delay, let the workers change their approaches and styles of agitation and without delay, let the management temper anger with humanity. Above all, the government should promptly play the role of ‘father of all.
“I don talk my own ooo”.
Hon OwolaniAnifowoshe, a two-term aspirant for the Ikorodu Federal Constituency seat at the House of Representatives, appealed to stakeholders in Ikorodu to intervene and find solution to the lingering crisis.
“This is getting out of hands, I appeal to concern prominent individuals and leaders to explore other dispute resolution alternatives in this LASPOTECH imbroglio.
“This is a bad antecedent”.
Meanwhile, the Governor of Lagos State, MrBabajideSanwo-Olu has waded into the lingering crisis
Worried by the industrial crisis rocking the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), the Governor, on Friday, constituted a Visitation Panel with a task to investigate all contentious issues that are setting the staff union of the school against the management.
He also ordered members of staff earlier disengaged by the management to forward their letters of appeal to the school’s Governing Council within seven (7) days for a review of the process of their disengagement, but with a condition that the appeal letters get endorsed by the Head of Service to ensure transparency in the review process.
