Should MAPOLY goes into extinction, Recession will take over Abeokuta - ASUP Chairman

Following the crisis rocking the conversion of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic to a University of Science and Technology and establishment of a new Ogun state Polytechnic in Ipokia , the Chairman of Academic Staff Union of polytechnic, (ASUP), MAPOLY, Comrade Kola Abiola, has warned that, the extinction of MAPOLY may cripple businesses in Abeokuta, the state capital.

The ASUP Chairman, who spoke during an interview on a radio programe, Ayekooto on a private radio station Sweet 101.7 Fm , Abeokuta, explained that, most of the markets including, Panseke, Kuto, Omida and Lafenwa all in Abeokuta are duly patronized by MAPOLY students.

“Traders will cry for help, transporters may die of hunger while houses will be vacant in areas like Abule Ojere, Oluwo, Onikolobo, Panseke, Ita-eko and other student areas”.

Speaking on the crisis, he lamented that the Union has not received any positive response from the state government, saying that they have written three separate letters to the government through the commissioner for education Modupe Mujota.

The ASUP Chairman further explained that the association is not against the conversion of the Polytechnic to University, saying, the union is more concerned about the survival and sustenance of both Institutions.

Comrade Abiola however noted that, the 2017 \ 2018 admission might not be successful, saying there are no plans for the new students both in Abeokuta and Ipokia.

In his words “In MAPOLY there is always about 9 to 10 hours non- interrupted electricity supply, but since this crisis began, we hardly get electricity for three hours. “We are concerned about the survival and sustenance of both Institutions. But, nobody is talking to us, we have written three separate letters to the government through the commissioner for education and one directly to the government, we got no response. “The government doesn’t give us money to finance the institution, yet we find means by paying our staffs. “We didn’t say the government is doing bad, what we need is that, they should call us for dialogue and listen to our points”. 

Meanwhile ,there was confusion yesterday in Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta as the staff of the institution shunned the proposed second semester exams billed to start yesterday. This was following the faceoff between Ogun State government and members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, MAPOLY chapter over the conversion of the Polytechnic to Moshood University of Science and Technology, Abeokuta, and establishment of Ogun State Polytechnic, Ipokia.

Students who had prepared for the exams were left stranded at the examination centers as there was no one to conduct the exams nor address the students on the new development. Members of the Academic Union were however seen gathering for an emergency congress at the Union House within the Polytechnic. There was no one to address the press on the outcome of the congress which lasted for about two hours but a member of the Union who spoke in confidence with our correspondent revealed that the congress declared a 'work-to-rule'.

The Chairman of the Union, Kola Abiola, who was later monitored on a television programme insisted that the lecturers of the institution had become endangered specie over the conversion. The Chairman said that while the government did not include any members of the union in the technical committee, the union was also not consulted by the same committee.

He explained that while the new University has been recognised by the National University Commission, NUT, the staff are yet to know the status of the new Polytechnic. He lamented that while the Polytechnic has not been recognised by the National Board for Technical Education, courses are yet to be accredited. 

With all these controversies, according to Abiola, the government is also bent on moving the lecturers to the new polytechnic. He said, "If you look at the website of NUC, you will see Moshood Abiola University of Technology that has been recognised, what's is the status of Ogun State Polytechnic with National Board for Technical Education?.

"This is a question we are constantly asking Ogun State government and the technical committee. If I am going to Ipokia and accreditation has not been gotten for Ipokia, what happens to my fate? "The Governor of Ogun State has said they are in agreement with NBTE and to our own understanding, we don't know when NBTE goes into an agreement with anybody because there's a standard for accreditation.

"We are not saying we all want to work in the University. The university has been recognised but no course has been accredited but the Polytechnic has not been accredited by NBTE, the Polytechnic has no accredited course. As government, do you want to bring in students for courses that have not been accredited? 

Abiola explained that three different letters had been written to the state Commissioner of Education, Modupe Mujota while another one was written to the Governor through her office. He however said that none of the letters, including one which was published on a daily newspaper, was acknowledged by the government.

While asked to talk on the proposed exams for which time table had been released, Abiola said, "We are not on strike, but exam is not starting, lectures still continue." Efforts to speak with the management of the Institution proved unsuccessful as calls put across to his mobile line of the Public Relation Officer, Sulaiman Adebiyi was switched off.

Source: www.platformtimes.com.ng