The newly appointed chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Professor Taiwo Akanbi Olaiya, has pledged to bring peace and progress to the institution, which has recently been plagued by crises.
Speaking during the council’s inaugural meeting on Wednesday, Olaiya emphasised the importance of peace and promised to ensure that laws and regulations are strictly followed to achieve a harmonious environment at the polytechnic.
He said the council had made significant decisions on various issues, including filling vacant principal positions, promoting staff, and addressing the suspension of students involved in riotous acts.
Expressing gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, the professor of public administration thanked him for the opportunity to serve and also appreciated the polytechnic’s management for their support.
He said, “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the President of Nigeria, Ahmed Tinubu, for finding us worthy of this position to contribute value to this institution.
“We are very grateful to the management of this polytechnic for their initial support, and we believe that their support will continue as we perform this important role to ensure the smooth operation of the school.
“During our inaugural meeting, we made far-reaching decisions on several issues. We addressed the vacant principal positions in the polytechnic, ensuring that vacancies will soon be filled to facilitate smooth administration.
“We have also resolved the issue of staff promotions that were pending due to the absence of a governing council. Many promotion exercises have been confirmed, and staff will soon benefit from their promotions. We have also visited ongoing projects on campus.
“We addressed the issue of the suspension of students involved in riotous acts of vandalism under the guise of protest. Some students were rusticated, and others were expelled. We received appeals from concerned Nigerians to temper justice with mercy and met with student leaders who also appealed for intervention.
“After discussions, we acknowledge that what happened on that day was unacceptable and should never occur again. We will review the matter accordingly.
“I can assure you that the polytechnic is working diligently to relocate from the temporary campus to the south campus. Currently, about four campuses have fully moved to the new site, and we hope to complete this transition soon.
“The polytechnic has experienced recent crises before our tenure. One of our goals is to leave behind a peaceful institution. We understand that without peace, there can be no progress, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to achieve this.
“Our primary focus is to ensure that laws and regulations are strictly followed, as adherence to these laws promotes peace and smooth coexistence within the community. We will complete existing projects and initiate new ones during our tenure.
“We also plan to engage with the community to bridge gaps between the institution and its surroundings, fostering peaceful coexistence and development-oriented collaboration with the local community.”
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