Michael Babatunde
Staff unions in the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) Abeokuta are said to be planning a shocker for the Rector, Dr. Adeoye Odedeji and Ogun State governor Dapo Abiodun on the 2023 workers day.
Workers day is celebrated every May 1,as part of activities to recognise the contributions of the workers .
PLATFORM TIMES exclusively gathered that plans have been perfected to display a dramatic public show of displeasure to the alleged maltreatment of the workers if the institution .
The aggrieved workers reportedly planned to carry placards and state a protest while plans were said to be in place to address their agitations .
Inside sources also alleged that the unending strike actions by the unions was aggravated by the disposition of the rector and the governor.
Unions in the institution had earlier this year staged a protest for minimum wage and salary payments. Though the request was attended to,but, unions refused to suspend actions.
PLATFORM TIMES observed that students don’t receive lectures on Tuesdays in what seem to be a partial strike by lecturers to show their displeasure with the management regarding their demands.
Students have also been stranded in payment of school fees and their registrations as non-academic staff were also on strike.
Abiodun had on Friday met with the rector and the chairman governing council, Prof Kamaldeen Balogun to find lasting solutions to the situation of workers in the institution.
Abiodun reportedly instructed the council chairman to meet with the unions to present a proposal which will address all agitations before Tuesday, 2nd May, 2023.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that chairman had interfered during the protest on minimum wage ensuring that council members address the agitations of the unions and the minimum wage was approved.
A letter obtained by PLATFORM TIMES dated April 28 and signed by the state commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu confirmed that the governor met with the rector and the chairman of council requesting that unions articulate issues of concern ahead of a meeting date to be disclosed later.
However, reports were that unions left the meeting with a message different from what the governor had requested and were instead on a fault-finding mission against the rector.
PLATFORM TIMES recalled that Odedeji was announced as substantive rector barely a year ago but his emergence sparked off reactions as the record was said to have been chosen despite he scored low among the candidates.
Odedeji was appointed Acting Rector of the institution by Abiodun in 2019, his confirmation didn’t come till three years after the institution had received several applications and screened the applicants.
While in acting capacity, Odedeji was said to have brought several strides to the institution amidst the unfriendly environment he found himself.
The ethnic and religious cards trailed the emergence of Odedeji.
There were allegations that the chairman of the governing council, Prof. Kamal Balogun was inaugurated few weeks after the appointment
Unconfirmed reports have it that some top officials in the institution have alleged that the rector had denied them of some benefits with his insistence on the public procurement act.
The chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) in MAPOLY, Dada Olalekan denied the claims that unions are planning a showdown on May day.
In his words, “Whoever told you we are planning a showdown is a liar, we are working on all our agitations and there is no problem, we are in good terms.”
When asked who the union has been communication with to channel their agitation, Olalekan said “I will give you that one tomorrow (May day)”, a hint of what is to come.
In what seems like a joint decision, only the first caller attended to this reporter, other stakeholders concerned on this issue failed to pick calls.
Calls placed through to Prof. Balogun, the institution’s chapter of the Academic Staff union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Tomisi Adegunle and the chairman Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Kola Sopade were neither answered nor returned.
Meanwhile, calls to get the reaction of the management through the Public Relations Officer, Yemi Ajibola could not connect as at the time of filling this report.
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