The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Trade Unions (ASUP, COEASU, NASU, SSANIP & SSUCOEN) in Oyo State owned tertiary institutions (OYSCATECH IGBOORA, THE POLYTECHNIC IBADAN, OYSCOED, LANLATE, AOP ERUWA, TOP SAKI & EACOED, OYO) has called on the Oyo State Governor, Engr. Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde to hurriedly act to savage Oyo State tertiary institutions from the myriad of problems confronting them.
The call was made in a release signed by the Oyo JAC Chairman, Comrade Olusegun Oyewumi and made available to the FreshPage at the end of the body’s meeting held recently at the Teachers’ House, Samonda, Ibadan.
According to the release, the body noted with dismay the insensitivity of government to the festering issues in the tertiary institutions in the state and showed its displeasure.
Below is the communique issued at the end of the meeting:
BEING THE COMMUNIQUÉ OF JOINT ACTION COMMITTEE (JAC) OF TRADE UNIONS (ASUP, COEASU, NASU, SSANIP & SSUCOEN) IN OYO STATE OWNED TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS (OYSCATECH IGBOORA, THE POLYTECHNIC IBADAN, OYSCOED, LANLATE, AOP ERUWA, TOP SAKI & EACOED, OYO) HELD AT TEACHERS’ HOUSE, SAMONDA, IBADAN ON TUESDAY 25 JULY, 2023.
The meeting was conveyed to review the current situations in the six tertiary institutions in Oyo State. At the meeting, the situation report in various Chapters were considered and the body noted with dismay the insensitivity of government to the festering issues in the tertiary institutions in the state. The body showed its displeasure over the following festering issues in the institutions.
2018/2019 SALARY ARREARS
Relying on the promised made by His Excellency during the maiden meeting the body had with him in his first tenure wherein he promised to begin the defrayment of 2018/2019 salary arrears immediately the 2016/2017 were fully defrayed, the body earnestly hoped that promise would be fulfilled. But since the 2016/2017 arrears was fully settled in February, 2022, there has not been any green light in the direction of starting the defrayment of 2018/2019 in affected three institutions.
AUGMENTATION OF SALARY
While appreciating His Excellency the Governor of Oyo State for approving sustainability support to ease full salary payment in three institutions in the State, the issue of salary augmentation is still a recurrent decimal. The three Polytechnics in the State have been using their IGR to augment the salary of workers in the institutions. The fund from the IGR being used for this purpose has not made money available for the running of the basic administrative functions. Staffers are now being forced by the situation to use their personal emoluments to service their offices. Infact there are backlogs of promotion and annual incremental arrears, as well as non implementation of promotion in some institutions as a result of this augmentation.
STAFF DEFICIT/CASUALIZATION OF STAFF
There has been a great shortage of staff in some of the institutions which is affecting quality of service delivery and the rating of the institutions among the comity of tertiary institutions in the Country. In some instances, there is no lecturer in some departments but the casual staff while in other instances, a lecturer in some departments. This affected Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa, The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki and the Polytechnic Ibadan.
SUBSTANTIVE MANAGEMENT IN AOP ERUWA AND COE LANLATE
For more than four years, these institutions have been using management in acting capacity. This has brought avoidable crises among the Unions, Management and the Councils. It is within the imperative of the Governor to give nod for the appointment of principal officers of these institutions.
THE MENACE OF PLATINUM CONSULTANTS
The Platinum Consultants engaged to monitor the finances has turned itself to a powerful Leviathan that has usurped the functions and roles of both the Management and the Councils in all the six tertiary institutions in the State. Apart from the fact that its activities are alien to higher institution activities and taking a humongous 10% of all levies collected in these institutions, it has turned itself to an approving authority to decide and prioritize what to finance in these institutions. Platinum has also turned itself to contractor executing contracts for these institutions. Even, after approval is sought, the consultant also delays the certificate of efficiency on the release of such funds. Delay in the release of fund generated from same institutions always leads to failure to receive accreditation of programmes, bushy environments, damages of machinery and equipment. Funding of conferences and seminars whose effect is ploughed back on the students has been reduced and even blocked in some institutions. The resultant effect is that many activities of the institutions are paralyzed. Apart from the fact that Platinum is fond of inflating the contracts, he delivers a substandard and poorly done jobs. Platinum is the contractor that now prints examinations scripts in all tertiary institutions in the State. This has affected the smooth running of the institutions and this has eroded the ranking of these institutions among their peers. For instance, the Polytechnic, Ibadan that used to be rated among the top 5 Polytechnics in Nigeria is now ranked 26. This does not augur well for the institutions.
PALLIATIVE FOR WORKERS
The body also discussed the excruciating pains attendant with the removal of subsidy in the Country. The workers in these institutions are finding it difficult to transport themselves to work and meet their daily needs.
RESOLUTIONS
After considering all festering issues, the body made the following resolutions:
•That His Excellency as matter of urgency to pay the arrears enbloc to serve as one of his palliative plans.
•That the Government should make more funds available for full payment of salaries in these institutions.
•That the Government should as a matter of urgency authorize the regularization of the casual staff or authorize these institutions to employ new staffers.
•That the Government should commence and conclude the appointment of substantive principal officers in these institutions.
•That the contract with Platinum should be terminated immediately.
•That the Government should give and implement palliative plans that would bring succour to our members in various institutions including and not limited to tax reduction, increase in transport and utility allowances as well as a sizeable increase in salary.
CONCLUSION
While JAC appreciates the fact that the Governor is a God sent and has the interests of masses at heart, we implore him to take positive and urgent actions in all our resolutions and demands. This would go a long way in taking higher education to the next pedestal in the state.
