The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alauda, has summoned key stakeholders of the Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe in Bayelsa State to a meeting scheduled for September 29 in Abuja as the institution remains shut since July 11 due to an unresolved labour dispute.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, those invited include the Rector, Dr Agbabiaka Lukman, the Governing Council Chairman, and the chairmen and secretaries of the three staff unions. The unions are the Non Academic Staff Union, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics, and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics.
The meeting follows a joint petition to the minister after a governing council session meant to address the crisis was suspended over alleged insecurity. The unions argued in their petition that the security claim was only an excuse to delay a probe into allegations against the Rector, insisting Bayelsa was safe and council members were already in town for the meeting.
They maintained that only the suspension of the Rector pending investigation would restore peace on campus. The unions locked the institution over claims that the Rector violated the Polytechnic Act by dragging them to court on labour issues that should be handled by the governing council.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Polytechnic, Mr Nimizuo Pereseigha, declined to comment on the matter.
