The Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has suspended the Chairman, Governing Council of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Mr. Banji Alabi, following the report of the Visitation Panel to the institution.
The governor announced the suspension while receiving the report of the seven-member panel to the polytechnic, on Thursday.
It was gathered that Alabi allegedly refused to honour the invitation of the panel on several occasions.
Receiving the report at the Governor’s Office, Alagbaka, Akure, Akeredolu who appreciated all members of the panel for their labour, with a promise to look into the report, declared, “the chairman stands suspended until I hear from him.”
Governor Akeredolu, who expressed worry over what he called the downward slide being observed in the polytechnic, said the report would guide the government on what to do.
He said, “Coincidentally, I am from Owo, I was inundated with several complaints here and there. A number of them I am not able to solve. I asked questions and got answers that probably were not correct, I can’t understand. I got information that several people have been recruited and when I ask, they will say no. Then why are your wages going up? Why can’t you pay?
“We have intervened on one or two occasions and we gave money with specific instruction to pay salaries. At the end of the day, you cannot still complete salary payment. I’m sure your report will contain this. Management, yes, there might be some problems with human and material resources but as I always say when they come and meet me, I know from verifiable facts that the Rector has attracted enormous funding to that place either through TETFUND or others, because of his connection. You can’t take that away from him.”
The governor also stated that it had become more desirable to turn the polytechnic into a university, declaring that “there is no going back,” stressing that the polytechnic had all it takes in terms of facilities to become a university.
Submitting the panel report to the governor, the Chairman, Professor Olabode Koriko, applauded Akeredolu for releasing about N1.6bn bailout to the polytechnic, adding that the commitment of the governor to reposition the polytechnic and restore its lost glory was commendable.
“Rufus Giwa Polytechnic until recently remains a model institution in the South-West over the years, however, poor management of human and material resources appears to have eroded the gains of the past and turned the once famous citadel of learning that has produced very successful men and women in the society to a shadow of itself.
“Your decision to set up the Visitation Panel at this auspicious moment could therefore not have come at a better time and is no doubt altruistic. It is expected that at the end, your desire to emplace probity and accountability in the management of this great citadel of learning would be realised,” the don stated.
