GOV IKPAZU GIVES SALARY SUPPORT TO EMBATTLED ABIA POLY

REPORTER: PEACE AGBO

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has approved the release of 450 Million Naira as Salary Support to the Abia State Polytechnic to pay four months of the salaries owed workers by the Polytechnic.

The Governor gave the approval when he played host to a delegation of student leaders from the tertiary institutions in Abia State, who paid him a solidarity visit at the Governor’s Lodge Aba.

This is contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Onyebuchi Ememanka.

According to the statement, what the State Government owes the polytechnic is a monthly subvention of 90 Million Naira, noting that Governor IKPEAZU led administration has so far paid a total sum of 7.1 Billion Naira to the institution since he assumed office in 2015, translating to 92 Million Naira every month for the 78 months he has been in Office.

On the NBTE and the purported withdrawal of the accreditation of the Polytechnic, the statement said that the mandate of the NBTE did not extend to shutting down an institution on account of labour related issues, since it is not the National Industrial Court.

The statement gave the Governor’s full assurance to the students that academic activities at the polytechnic would continue while the interface with the NBTE towards the resolution of the crisis lasted

It commanded the student leaders on their wise decision of not allowing themselves to used as agents of destabilization on account of the challenge at Abia Poly and advised them to be on guard, especially as the period of elections drew near.

The statement noted that the student leaders, drawn from the entire Students Union Governments of all the tertiary institutions in the State, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), and the National Association of Abia State Students (NAAS), told the Governor that the students were in support of the present administration.

It said that the students also told the Governor that those who claimed to be students leaders, who purportedly passed a vote of No Confidence on the Governor were fake.

According to the statement, the student leaders were led to the meeting by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Students Matters, Mr. Ndom.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU