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THE OKE-OGUN POLYTECHNIC SAKI JOINT ACTION COMMITTEE
24th May, 2024.
His Excellency,
Eng. Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde,
The Executive Governor of Oyo State.
Dear Sir,
COMMUNIQUE OF THE OKE-OGUN POLYTECHNIC SAKI JOINT ACTION COMMITTEE OF ASUP, SSANIP & NASU
The staff unions of The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic Saki under the trade unions namely, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), held a meeting on the 15th May, 2024 to discuss and review issues related to staff welfare, working environment and the implementation of 25-35% salary increment.
TOPS JAC observed that there are festering issues that the management and government have failed to address which would engender peaceful industrial harmony within the institution. These issues were thoroughly x-rayed and the following resolutions were reached:
- Accreditation
Accreditation is a type of quality assurance process under which services and operations of programmes are evaluated to determine if applicable standards are met. It was extensively discussed that management should ensure that all necessary resources to fast track the accreditation of all the courses and programmes are in place through the State Government. Also, the grey areas identified during the last accreditation of January, 2023 be wholly addressed.
The Unions are passionately appealing to His Excellency to assist the Institution financially and materially. - Salary Augmentation
The Unions seriously frowned at the salary augmentation by the management from our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). The issue of salary augmentation has caused a lot of problems as the management cannot meet up with other germane administrative services such as clearing of overgrown bushes, providing adequate day and night security, provision of regular commensurate departmental and faculty imprest, payment of allowances, provision of electricity, provision of office materials and necessary consumables, etc. Hence, salary augmentation is not only demoralising, but killing the institution and has rendered almost every sector of the institution ineffective. The Unions therefore resolved that augmentation of salary is no longer sustainable within the institution.
As a result, Oyo State government should henceforth, provide full subvention that would immediately put an end to salary augmentation that is killing The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic Saki. We no longer have any allowance to breath as an institution.
- Infrastructure
The Unions noted with disquiet, the current state of infrastructure that are currently experienced without TETFund support at The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki. The current deplorable state of infrastructure in our Institutions is as alarming as many staff do not have habitable office, teaching equipment and learning aids.
Therefore, the Unions resolved that she will not be comfortable with the infrastructural decay if it is not rectified or put in place with immediate effect. Not addressing this may affect the industrial peace on our campus.
- Platinum Consultant
The Unions reviewed the activities of the Platinum Consultant which the government put in place to curtail sharp practices in the Higher Institutions. The Unions were unequivocal that the essence of bringing on board the Platinum Consultant has not been met. We are reliably informed that the Consultant collects 10% of all accruable Internally Generated Revenue from the institution. It is mind-boggling and unthinkable that any sane management would defraud the institution up to the 10% which the Consultant reaps where he did not sow. The Unions also observed with displeasure that Emmanuel Alayande College of Education which was hitherto under Platinum Consultant was pulled out immediately it was pronounced a university while Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) and Abiola Ajimobi Technical University have never been under Platinum Consultant. This clearly shows that the government discriminates against Polytechnics and Colleges of Education in the State in favour of the Universities. It is disheartening that Platinum Consultant has also turned herself to a contractor at The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki engaging in procurement and supplying of equipment and materials which are even substandard and with prices inflated.
The Unions therefore resolved that The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki must also be removed from the strangle-hold of the Platinum Consultant immediately.
- Governing Council Members
The Unions observed the non-constitution of Governing Council Members since July 7, 2023. In the last ten (10) months, the Institution has been without the members of the Governing Council except her Chairman (Barrister Lateef Sarafadeen Abiola). It is not an overstatement to affirm that the appointment of Barrister Lateef Sarafadeen Abiola (Onijo as the Governing Council Chairman started on the 13th September, 2022 after the resignation of Professor Adesola Ajayi who was appointed as Vice Chancellor of First Technical University, Ibadan. In accordance with The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki law; PART 3, Section 9(1); The Chairman of the Governing Council shall hold office for a period of three years only from the date of his appointment and shall be eligible for another term of three years only. Therefore, the tenure of Barrister Lateef Sarafadeen Abiola as The Governing Council Chairman still subsists.
The Unions are passionately appealing to His Excellency to expedite action on the constitution of the Members of Governing Council for the development and growth of The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki.
- Shortage of manpower and casualization of staff
The Unions berate the lack of adequate manpower, both the teaching and non-teaching for efficient service delivery in our Institution. This situation is more worrisome as most of the departments are left with one or no teaching staff. Also, operating a tertiary institution with casual staff with penury stipend of ₦30,000 and ₦20,000 per month is not helpful to the growth and mentoring in academic institutions.
The Unions are passionately appealing to His Excellency for their regularisation as permanent staff and inclusion of tertiary institutions in the forthcoming recruitment exercise in the progress by the Oyo State Government for the Primary School Teachers. - Implementation of 25% and 35% Salary Increment
The Unions expressed profound disappointment at the lack of action regarding the implementation of the 25% and 35% salary increment, which has already been effected at LAUTECH which belongs to Oyo State Government since February 2024. This disparity is particularly troubling as Federal Institutions have also begun this implementation, with arrears paid from January 2024. The Unions stressed that expecting full dedication from staff under present economic pressures without fair compensation is unfair.
Thus, the Unions resolved that the management must expedite actions on the implementation of the 25% and 35% salary increment and pay arrears dating back to January 2023 without further delay. - 2023 Promotion Arrears and 2024 Promotion
The Unions also highlighted the delay in issuing 2023 promotion letters to senior staff and full commencement of 2024 promotion exercise, citing the absence of an inaugurated governing council as an unacceptable excuse when some letters were released the same year, 2023. The government’s failure to inaugurate the Members of Council is viewed as a deliberate act of penalising the staff for unjust reasons.
Therefore, the Unions resolved that the government must either constitute the Members of Governing Council immediately or authorise the Honourable Commissioner for Education, Science & Technology to approve the promotions, in line with practices at Federal Polytechnics. - Conference and Induction fees
The Conference and Induction Fees are statutory money approved by the Academic Board to be disbursed or released to each Department and Unit of the Institution without using double standard or favouritism. However, these fees are parts of staff development required by the regulatory body for accreditation of courses. It is much dismay that members of staff rarely enjoy these grants in recent times.
As a result, the Unions agreed at her meeting that the money should be released to each department/unit without any further delay for advancing knowledge and bringing skill gaps. - EPP Claims
The Unions expressed her dissatisfaction on the delay of the payment of Evening Part Time Programme claims of all the teaching and non-teaching staff. Considering the time value of money, the payment of a semester claim is being carried to the following academic session.
The decision reached during the meeting of the three Unions is that The Management should pay all outstanding EPP allowance accruing to all teaching and non-teaching staff on or before 31st May, 2024. - Salary Deduction
As a promise made by His Excellency on monthly salary of all workers in Oyo State to be paid on every 25th of the month, this promise is being fulfilled till this moment but the Unions frowned on the delay of salary deduction which is supposed to go along with monthly salary.
The Unions resolved that payment of monthly salary and deduction should not exceed 25th of every month.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Joint Action of ASUP, SSANIP and NASU at The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki urges the Oyo State Government and The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki Management to take immediate and decisive action to address the critical issues raised. The welfare of our staff, the sustainability of our operational processes, and the overall harmony within our Institution are at stake. We call upon all stakeholders to prioritise these concerns and implement the necessary measures to avert potential disruptions to academic activities. This is a heartfelt Save Our Soul (SOS) plea to preserve the integrity and functionality of The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki for the benefit of its staff, students and the broader community it serves. Failure to act promptly will undermine the Institution’s capacity to fulfil its educational mission and compromise the well-being of all associated with it.
SIGNED
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Comrade AJIBOYE L.O. (ASUP Chairman) Comrade OLANITE W. A. (ASUP Gen. Sec.)
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Comrade Oke O. O. (SSANIP Chairman) Comrade Olagbenro A. J. (SSANIP Gen. Sec.)
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Comrade Raufu M. O. (NASU Chairman) Comrade Badru J. (NASU Gen. ec.)
