By Saheed Ibrahim

Following recent protest by workers of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, RUGIPO, the Chairman of the institution’s Governing Council, Dr Olubunmi Omoniyi, has assured stakeholders that the council is lobbying the Ondo State Government on how the 10 months salaries owed the workers can be offset. 

Omoniyi also confirmed that processes of appointing a substantive Rector and other principal officers for the school have been suspended temporarily.  

Addressing newsmen in Akure, the Councils Chairman advised trade unions at the polytechnic to join hands with the governing council to effect genuine reforms that would enable the institution generate revenues to complement monthly subvention to meet various financial obligations including salary payment. 

Omoniyi said the suspension of the process was temporary to enable the school’s council and the state government to address various issues confronting the institution especially accumulated salaries arrears. 

She blamed the unrest by the poly’s workers on unpaid salaries owed by the previous administration since 2014 and move to transform the school to a university. 

Also speaking, a Council member, Olumuyiwa Asagunla advocated the implementation of automated fee payments, digital result uploads, and increased internally generated revenue to enhance the institution’s standards. 

Asagunla urged support for the council’s efforts to elevate the polytechnic into a 21st Century institution as projected by the state government within the next six years.

 Asagunla said, “The immediate past Rector and 11th Council was pressurised by the three unions to borrow N850m from a Commercial Bank with the repaid pack with huge interest. With the Acting Council Chairman and other council members’ goodwill, we were able to lobby the state government to pay back the N850m to RUGIPO two months ago. 

“We also lobbied the executive and Legislative arm of government to increase the running grants accrued to RUGIPO by 60% just last month. These are some of the 12th Council achievements within the past four months we were in charge, and we ain’t resting on our oars. The unions should understand that no meaningful development can be achieved in a rancorous situation,” Asagunla said.