By Precious Oluwole

Ondo State House of Assembly has urged Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, to do everything humanly possible to ensure that peace is sustained in the Institution.

The House Committee on Tertiary Institutions, led by its Chairman, Hon. Chris Ayebusiwa gave this advice during a familiarization visit to the Polytechnic on Monday.

Ayebusiwa applauded the initiative of the Acting Rector towards ensuring the growth and development of the institution.

The committee advised the management to support and coorperate with the Acting Rector for the progress of the Polytechnic and also, key into his vision.

They also encouraged the Acting Rector to stabilize the relationship between the students, management and workers of the institution.

According to them, technical institutions play a crucial role in providing excellent education and training in all vocational programmes, especially when it comes to practical skills.

The lawmakers while assuring of the 10th Assembly’s support to facilitate the institution in making a difference, they call on students, staff and management to maintain peace and work as a team to achieve projected goal.

Meanwhile, the Committee has appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic of the institution who intend to embark on strike over unpaid backlog of salaries, not to down tools in the interest of the students.

The Committee after being briefed and presented a memo by the union Chairman, Nafiu Okoro, assured that it would critically look into the matter as quickly as possible.

The Acting Rector, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Mr Adegun Simon Olorunwa while giving his brief earlier noted that the 43 year old Polytechnic is the oldest tertiary institution in Ondo State.

He expressed the vision and mission of the institution is to stimulate the spirit of excellence in teaching and research, promotion of creative and innovative thoughts that will stand the test of time.

According to him, the time has come for particular and visible attention to be paid to the status of the Polytechnic as the oldest State-owned Tertiary Institution in Ondo State.

“Most of the facilities in the Institution are old and they in a serious state of dilapidation. Expectedly, such facilities being maintained at a cost that is enamours.

“Changes have been effected in the Management of the Institution’s Business Venture and the purpose is to make the Venture become the fund spinning outfit that it is established to be. Specifically, the real target is to have a business venture that generates a minimum of NI0,000,000.00 per month.

“The Institution having observed that there are fund spinning equipment in some of our Departments, steps are being taken to put them into active use.

“We have resolved to take full advantage of the status of Ondo State as the State with the largest coastline in Nigeria by commencing academic programme in Marine Engineering.

“Specific areas in which the urgent intervention of Government is needed are:the immediate approval and release of intervention fund to bail out the Institution from the challenge of unpaid salary,approval and release of a minimum ofN500,000,000.00 as Capital fund for the purpose of accreditation in 2024,approval of fund for convocation”.

He said the management will leverage on the visit to request the committee to assist and ensure that more resources are deployed to the institution.

He, however, appreciated the committee for the visit and support, maintaining that the mandate of the Polytechnic is to be the first among equals in the country.