From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia
Abia State government has offered a financial lifeline to the embattled Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, with Governor Okezie Ikpeazu approving the immediate release of N450 Million as Salary Support to the institution.
The bailout, it was learnt, would take care of four of the 30 months salary owed workers of the school.
The Governor disclosed the approval of the money Wednesday when he played host to a delegation of Student Leaders from tertiary institutions in Abia State who paid him a solidarity visit at the Governor’s Lodge, Aba
The Governor made it clear that while the State Government was not responsible for the payment of the salaries of the workers of the Polytechnic or any other tertiary institutions in the State, his administration would not abandon the Polytechnic.
According to the Governor, what the State Government owes the institution was a Monthly Subvention of N90 Million, stating that his administration has so far paid a total sum of N7.1 Billion to the Polytechnic since he assumed office in 2015, translating to 92 Million Naira every month for the 78 months he has been in office as Governor.
With this N450 Million additional support, the Polytechnic has received over N7.5 Billion from the Ikpeazu administration.
The Governor therefore wondered why the institution was unable to manage their internal financial issues since they collect and retain all manner of fees from their students.
Governor Ikpeazu insisted that the Polytechnic must be able to manage what is available to them since they handle their admissions independently and recruit their own staff.
On the NBTE and the purported withdrawal of the accreditation of the Polytechnic, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu made it clear that the mandate of the NBTE does not extend to shutting down an institution on account of labour-related issues since it was not the National Industrial Court.
The Governor wondered why the NBTE has not withdrawn the accreditation of some tertiary institutions in some parts of the country where insecurity has stopped academic activities for over 2 years but chose to do so to an institution where teaching and learning were on-going.
He, however, assured the students that he and the lecturers have reached a written agreement that academic activities at the Polytechnic will continue unabated while the interface with the NBTE continues towards the resolution of the crisis.
The Governor informed his guests that the state government and the leadership of the Abia State University would meet on Friday to deepen conversation on how to resolve the labour issues at the University, assuring that his administration remains committed to all the State-owned higher institutions.
He expressed happiness that the student leaders have risen to the occasion by refusing to be used as agents of destabilization on account of the challenge at Abia Poly. He advised the students to be on guard, especially as the period of elections draw close because desperate politicians were out to use them to cause confusion in the state. He was delighted to hear that the students resisted the plan by some interests to stage protests over the issue.
Speaking earlier, the student leaders drawn from the entire Students Union Government of all the tertiary institutions in the State, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the National Association of Abia State Students (NAAS), told the Governor that the students were solidly behind him and would not allow those who do not wish the state well to use students as canon fodders.
They also told the Governor that those who claimed to be Students Leaders who purportedly passed a vote of No Confidence on the Governor were fake and were not students of any institution in Abia State. This, according to them, led them to swiftly address a Press Conference last week where they passed a resounding vote of confidence on the Governor.
The Student Leaders were led to the meeting by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Students Matters, Mr. Ndom. The Honorable Commissioner for Health, Dr Joe Osuji was also part of the meeting.
It would be recalled that the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) recently de-accredited Abia Polytechnic on the grounds that the lecturers of the institution have not been paid for 30 months, a development, they argued, would impact negatively on quality delivery by the affected lecturers.
In a swift reaction to the development, Abia State government assured that it would work to reverse the trend and ensure that NBTE restored the Abia Poly accreditation within a month.
In a statement by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Barr. Chris Ezem, said the Abia Poly Governing Council has been dissolved and the Management, suspended.
“As part of the measure to reposition the institution, Government hereby announce the immediate dissolution and suspension of the council and management of the institution respectively.
The statement read in part: “In line with the foregoing, Government has approved the constitution of a taskforce to restore the accreditation of Abiapoly within 30days, membership of the taskforce includes:
Prof. Ikechi Mgboji (Chairman), with Dr. John Nwadioha, Hon. Jude Udeachara, Rev.Fr. Kelechi Anyanwu (Ph.D), Mrs. Love Ezema and Mr. Stanley Nwankpa (SUG President of Abiapoly) as members.”