The Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti was Shut Down By Protest Staged By All Workers’
The Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti was on
Monday shut down by protest staged by all
workers’ union who demanded the removal
of the Rector, Dr. Taiwo Akande, accusing
her of embezzling a sum of N350 million
unremitted cooperative funds.
The protesting workers who blocked the main entrance to the polytechnic to prevent access to the campus.
Read full details as reported by The
Nation Online.
The Union accused the rector of illegal
pension deductions from contract staff
benefits “in flagrant disregard of the
Polytechnic financial regulations.
The protest which commenced at 7.00 am
was organised by the institution’s branches
of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics
(ASUP), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian
Polytechnics (SSANIP) and Non-Academic
Staff Union (NASU).
Union leaders who addressed journalists and staff members also accused Mrs. Akande of autocratic tendencies, favouritism and nepotism in staff promotions saying the
Polytechnic would remain closed until the
rector is cleared of allegations of corruption
by the Federal Government.
The ASUP Chairman, Mr. Tunji Owoeye
called on Education Minister Ibrahim
Shekarau to order the Rector to step aside to allow unfettered investigation into the
allegations of corruption levelled against her by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) and the
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other
Related Offences (ICPC).
ASUP boss further demanded Mrs. Akande’s
sack for alleged “non-implementation of
CONTISS 15 as directed by FG, non-
remittance of staff contributions to
cooperative societies, deduction of pension
from contract and casual workers, non-
refund of pension deduction,
highhandedness in policy implementation,
award of contracts without following due
process and over-employment.
He said, “The entire Polytechnic Community
is tired of her administration and her
leadership style. Several times she has tried
to polarize institution and de-unionize us
using different devices including divide and
rule and tribal sentiments.
“Most recent is the use of new workers
against the old which accounted for why she over-bloated the system with frivolous
employments.
“As we speak now, CONTISS 15 is operational in all the Polytechnics in this country, except Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti. She cajoled us in October, 2013, promising to start when the finances improve, but only to turn around and told us there was no such plan for us”.
Corroborating Owoeye, NASU chief Adekunle Adeniyi accused the Rector of placing workers of the same cadre in different grade levels based on fraternity with her, saying this had promoted acrimony among the workers.
He said, “We want the Federal Government
to set up an investigation panel to
investigate the activities of the current
management. Pending that time, we appeal
to the Minister of Education to suspend Dr
Akande to prevent the investigations from
being impeded.”
Mrs. Akande refuted all the allegations
levelled against her by workers of having a
hidden agenda advising them to wait for the outcome of the EFCC and ICPC investigations where they had petitioned on her alleged involvement in fraud.
Speaking through the Deputy Registrar
(Information and Protocol), Ade Adeyemi-
Adejolu the Rector, who said her
administration has been transparent in all
its financial dealings, accused the workers of pursuing parochial and selfish agenda.
She accused the workers of acting arbitrarily by not following due process before embarking on indefinite strike urging them to toe the line of civility and embrace dialogue rather than confrontation that could affect the relative peace and co-
existence in the institution.
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