Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has assured staff of Edo State Polytechnic, Usen that his administration would pay the 10-month salary arrears owed them, and would enforce prompt salary payment in the institution.
This was as he received executives from the school’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) at the Edo State Government House in Benin City.
Governor Obaseki noted that the blame for the school’s condition lay with both the government and the school’s administration.
“Most of the challenges faced by the Institution are not new to this administration. We have reflected on the issues and the position of this administration is to depart from the old ways of trading blames or doing things. Instead, we’ll work to ensure that things are done differently to take us away from the past,” he said.
Continuing the governor said his administration would set up a committee involving organised labour and the government to identify the cause of the problems faced by the institution and find ways to solve them.
Governor Obaseki said: “We will have an agreement with you on the structure and modalities the school will be operating with, and also take a critical look at the masterplan of the school to get the commitment of both the students and staff of the institution and ensure the progress of the School. Any Council that cannot meet the obligation of payment of staff salaries will be removed and replaced. I want to assure you that your issue will be resolved this month, after which I will hold you responsible for any problems that surface in the institution again”.
Meanwhile, the leader of delegation Mr. Edobor Sunday appreciated the governor for his efforts in revamping technical education in the state with his visit to Benin Technical College, while commending the governor on the SEEFOR Project going on in the school, especially the renovation of computer classroom block in the Institution.
He drew the governor’s attention to issues, including promotion of staff; none payment of workers’ salaries spanning 10 months; increase of subvention to the school to help accredit some of her courses; not obeying the 65 years retirement age for staff; none payment of promotion arrears, and the appointment of a substantive rector for the Institution amongst others.
