Kunle Adelabu
The Visitation Panel constituted last year to look into the crises that have been rocking the Lagos State Polytechnic by the Governor of Lagos State/Visitor to the institution, Mr Babajide Sanwo – Olu, has submitted its report.
Top on the Panel’s findings, THE IMPACT gathered is CONTISS – 15 Migration which was the main issue that caused the lingering conflict between the management of the Lagos State Polytechnic and the staff (Unions).
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Education (SAE), Mr Tokunbo Wahab, received the report of the panel, led by Barr. Adelowo Afolayan, on behalf of the Governor at his office.
The LASPOTECH Visitation Panel was set-up by Lagos Governor, to unravel both the immediate and remote causes of the lingering crises in the Polytechnic.
The panel was constituted in accordance with the extant law of the Lagos State Polytechnic 2012, Section C111 (subsection 1-5).
Barr. Afolayan, while presenting the report on behalf of other members of the panel, appreciated the Governor for the opportunity given to them to work freely in finding solutions to the age-long crisis in the school without government interference.
While accepting the report, the Special Adviser stated that the government would act on the report to correct problems confronting the school.
According to a release signed by Mrs Omolase Yejide, the Public Affairs Officer, Office of the Special Adviser on Education (OSAE), the Special Adviser, Mr. Wahab, while responding after receiving the report, said that the findings by the panel would assist the government in resolving the crises in the institution.
“We are very worried. Like the Governor will always say, ‘’There is no mid-way for bad behavior’’. People took law into their own hands. This report will help us address how we got to the point that they lost it to engage on one – on – one debate and civilized argument on issues and had to take laws into their own hands”, the Special Adviser said.
He thanked the panel member and also assured them of government’s implementation of the report as recommended.
It gathered that the issue of CONTISS 15 Migration which was the main issue that caused the lingering conflict between the management of the Lagos State Polytechnic and the staff (Unions), was top on the findings of the panel.
Aside the CONTISS 15 migration, the issue of infrastructure decay at both Isolo and Surulere campuses of the Polytechnic were also given adequate attention by the panel.
However, the Lagos State government has planned to intervene in the infrastructural development in all state owned tertiary institutions.
THE IMPACT had earlier reported exclusively in a story online, “Lagos Plans Stagger Resumption, Reverses Cut In Subventions To Tertiary Institutions”, published on July 5, 2020, that the state government, as part of its agreement with the managements and unions across the state owned tertiary institutions, had agreed to provide intervention on infrastructural development in the institutions.
Lagos State Polytechnic, which is one of the leading science and technological institutions in Nigeria, has been without a befitting administrative block since its establishment over 40 years ago.
The building, which currently accommodates the Rector and other management staff, was originally built to be used as the institution’s Library Complex.
According to reliable sources in the government circle, the Visitation panel recommended an immediate resolution of the CONTISS 15 Migration issue as well as funding of infrastructural development.
The Special Adviser who we gathered also stated Nigeria as a country is where it is today, because bad behaviours were cordoned.
While stating that the report is very fundamental to addressing the problems n LASPOTECH, the Special Adviser on Education also hinted that the state government is also planning to set up visitation panels to look into crises in other state owned tertiary institutions for the purpose of using the law that established them to resolve such crises.
THE IMPACT also gathered that the SAE said that the Lagos State government has approved contract for the construction of an administrative block and fire service station for the institution as part of the governor’s plans to develop infrastructure in the institution.
THE IMPACT further found out that, to forestall future crises, the Special Adviser on Education has made it known that 17 candidates out of the 25 aspirants for the position of the LASPOTECH Rector were shortlisted as against seven that was put in the public domain.
It was also gathered that Mr Wahab, is determined to ensure that fairness, equity and transparency prevail in the selection process to pick a substantive Rector for the institution.
