Students of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Ikorodu, on Monday commenced the 2018/2019 academic session’s second semester examination amid withdrawal of essential services by the striking non-academic staff unions of the institution.
Mr Abiodun Awoyemi, Chairman, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP), LASPOTECH chapter, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that it was unfortunate that the management went ahead to conduct examinations for the students under a harsh condition.
Awoyemi said that while the unions would not disrupt the conduct of the examination, they would ensure that services under its purview were not provided.
“We have ensured that our members are not at work to provide essential services and also ensure that any services under our purview provided by some hired workers were disconnected.
“We have been moving round the campus to ensure full compliance and services, just like the generator that we met switched on have been put off,” he said.
According to him, the clinic, library and other major offices were under lock and facilities such as electricity and water have been disconnected.
Reacting, Mr Olanrewaju Kuye, the Polytechnics’ spokesman, told NAN that the institution management could not afford to postpone the examination because it would affect or distort the academic calendar.
“Since the lecturers are not on strike and have taught the students for more than 13 weeks now, and are also ready to conduct the examination, what is wrong with that?”
Kuye said the institution had also made an alternative provision for essential services such as electricity, clinical and ambulance that could be needed in case of emergency.
He however disclosed that the lingering issues between the Polytechnics’ management and the striking non-academic workers would be resolved by the state government after the governorship election.
“All things being equal, the issues will be resolved after the election by the grace of God,” he said.
NAN reports that that members of NASUP and SSANIP, LASPOTECH chapter, had since Jan. 21 embarked on a continuous protest and indefinite strike to demand for the reversal of an alleged de-migration of their salary structure by the institution’s management.
The unions said the Rector, Mr Samuel Sogunro, had de-migrated the workers salary structure from the CONTISS 15 against the Deputy Governor’s pronouncement and court’s directive.
The Polytechnic management, however said it did not de-migrate its staff as claimed but was only correcting a realignment of the salary structure as directed by the state government.
It said the need for the alignment arose because the management of the Polytechnic was forced by the unions to implement the migration in 2016, while the document presented for implementation as later discovered, did not emanate from NBTE.
Following the continuous protest, the management disengaged four members of the union, including the NASUP Chairman, Mr Akinlawon Fasasi, on issues bothering on the breech of peace within the campus.
Meanwhile, a check by a NAN Correspondent on the LASPOTECH, Ikorodu campus, revealed that students were peacefully writing their examinations, in spite of the harsh condition and there are presence of security officials such as the civil defense.
