ASUP suspends academic activities in MAPOLY

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, have suspended academic activities indefinitely.

The reason behind the halt in teaching in the institution, which on July 3rd, upgraded into a University of Science and Technology by the National Universities Commission (NUC), was based on the alleged recommendations by the Professor Peter Okebukola-led transition committee that about 250 of its members be sacked and re-apply to the management of the university.

Speaking with newsmen after its Congress was the branch chairman, Comrade Kola Abiola, who said that the Committee had so far taken decisions without considering the plight of the existing workers of the Polytechnic.

Abiola said, “As stakeholders, there is an adage which says ‘you can’t shave a man’s head in his absence’, our hair is being attempted to be shaved in our absence, some people the Governor has gathered as transition committee have decided to do what they feel like without considering the plight of the people in the system and that was not the intention of the government.”

“Since they have been inaugurated, we’ve only been briefed once and a lot of actions have been taken and we don’t know anything. Professor Okebukola has said that we are all going to reapply again and one of the members of the committee, Dr Ebenezer Nkom said on air that as of July 3, 2017, MAPOLY has seized to exist, meaning that we don’t have a job and we don’t have students again and that is what we don’t understand.”

“The congress has directed that we suspend all academic activities until we are properly briefed as to what is happening in the Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology and Moshood Abiola Polytechnic.”

“And the congress has also directed that both Professor Okebukola and Dr Nkom have been declared persona non grata in MAPOLY and we call on the Governor to find capable replacement for them because they are no longer welcome on this campus. They are no longer welcome in the school they failed to recognize.”

Okebukola when contacted denied all allegations saying the committee will meet the entire workforce of the Polytechnic on Wednesday (today).

The former Executive Secretary, NUC, assured that no member of the staff of the Polytechnic would suffer joblessness.

He said, “This is not true, it’s fake news because no document or instruction has been issued to anybody. We’ve not met, nobody has issued any directive to anybody on anything, and we are only meeting tomorrow.”

“They are just speculating, it is at Wednesday’s meeting that some committees will present their reports after which we are meeting all staff on Wednesday and decide on what to do. They are only being pre-emptive and that is quite unfortunate.”

“I have met the Chairman of the Union and I have assured them that nobody will suffer any joblessness, as far as I am still a member of the committee and that I will never compromise on the standard NUC expects for a staff in a University. I am assuring them of smooth transition, it will be glorious and we are all going to smile.”