Current MAPOLY students will not be transferred to Ipokia - Amosun

Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun has revealed that current students of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta (MAPOLY) will not be transferred to the newly-established Ogun State Polytechnic, Ipokia.

This is coming after months of speculation on whether current students of MAPOLY transferred to the new Polytechnic.

The governor said only fresh students will be admitted for ND programmes at Ipokia. He made this known on Friday when he led the technical team and other members of the State Executive Council, including his Deputy, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga to the Foundation-laying of Ogun Poly, Ipokia on Friday.

Speaking at the site of the main campus in Ijaye-Okeeyinbo, Amosun however said staff of MAPOLY who wish to work at MAUSTECH must re-apply. He also said those who want to work at Ipokia will get automatic employment.

"We are not bringing anybody from ND2, it is the new ND1 students that will be admitted here. We will allow people in Abeokuta to see what they are doing through. But those that will be given admission ND1 this year will come here.

"To those lecturers, we have to fix that. If anybody is expecting that the same set of lecturers at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic are going to be retained to Moshood Abiola University of Science and technology, that can’t be.

"Everybody that wish to be in the university will apply, but any of them that wants to come here is automatic. I’m appealing to them that we meant well, it is only the name and location that has changed," he said.

On the number of buildings that we available at Ipokia, Amosun said, "I know what it takes, I know what it entails. Ogun is 40 and the maturity should reflect in the way we do things. All we need to do now is to provide lecture rooms, we are ready to take up to 4,000. If we want to do it in batches of 200 so be it.

"The contractors are here, we are starting immediately but the administrative blocks may not be ready because you are talking of about three or more blocks but the ones that they will need, we will make sure they are available. We will use accommodation for lecturers too to make sure they are comfortable.

"I know it is a well founded fear when ASUP (MAPOLY) said they don’t want it but you know there will be some prices, there will be some sacrifices. The fears of transportation, we are going to provide buses for people from Idi-Iroko to take people here," he added.

Amosun noted that the institution would not only be a full conventional institution but one that would comply with international standards whose graduates would be able to compete favourably with others around the world.

The Governor further said the establishment of the Polytechnic was part of his administration’s socio-economic blueprint to distribute infrastructure across the state.