Poly students accuse staff unions of disrupting academic activities

STUDENTS of Federal Polytechnic, Ede in Osun State have accused the leadership of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) and the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) of disrupting academic activities in the polytechnic and urged the two staff unions to allow smooth running of the institution.

The President and Secretary of the Students’ Union in the institution, Bakare Nureni Adejare, and Adugbe John, in a press statement demanded that the management of the polytechnic must investigate the activities SSANIP and NASU in the institution.

They urged the school management to curtail the excesses of SSANIP and NASU so that the unions would not jeopardise the future of the students because of their selfish interest.

The students’ union leadership lamented that the mid-semester break declared by the school management of the polytechnic was unwarranted and that it was a tactical closedown of the institution because of the activities SSANIP and NASU.

The students warned that any attempt to destabilise the school would be resisted and urged the school management to reopen the institution without further delay. The students insisted that the Chairman SSANIP, Mr Adekanola Johnson Kayode must be probed.

The SUG leaders commended the entire students for persevering the hardship and difficulties that the staff unions inflicted on them. Babare and Adugbe urged the students to remain peaceful and assured them that issue would be resolved soon.

According to the statement, “While we await the immediate action of the management of this noble institution, we implore all students to continue to be law abiding and we promise not to swerve from catering for the welfare of the ever conscious Nigerian students of Federal Polytechnic Ede.

“Pursuant to these reasons, we unanimously move a motion of no confidence on the barbaric act displayed by the leadership of Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) on our campus.

“It is so disheartening to note the steps taken by the leadership of the SSANIP and NASU of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede by taking away the basic amenities from the campus and subjected the students to inconvenience and hardship.

“It is evident that they want to do everything in their power to disrupt the peace that we enjoy in the institution after realising that their previous one week strike didn’t have much effect on our peaceful campus.”

“The activities of SSANIP and NASU on our campus have become unbearable. They disrupt the peaceful registration of the prospective students that were applying for UTME. Also, on March 22, 2016, a similar scenario was experienced on campus, which truncated the examination process leading to the closedown of the institution.

“Their latest action arouse a major concern about their general state of mind concerning decision making as it depicts lack of interest in the future of the students of this noble institution.

It is shocking that they could easily forget that every student is entitled to a safe, orderly and peaceful environment and that students will only succeed in an environment that is conducive for learning.

“Every student has their responsibility as well as that of the management. Students succeed best when the leadership of an institution and the management maintain a strong partnership at all levels.

“If you want your voice to echo to the hearing of the Federal Government, there are ideological ways to achieve this. Not by disturbing the peace on our campus and the entire community.”

The students’ union advised the staff unions to take their agitation to the appropriate quarters. “If you feel that the federal government has failed to listen to your yearning, there are more meaningful strategic measures to achieve your aim without making us to suffer unnecessarily.”