… Cite end to industrial unrest, promotions logjam

The members of staff of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo (RUGIPO), have expressed satisfaction with the first 100 days of the Acting Rector, Dr. Sunday Olorunwa Lawson, describing the period as a departure from years of industrial unrest and administrative stagnation that had plagued the institution.

Staff across all cadres, from academic to non-academic and senior to junior levels, turned out in their numbers for the Rector-Staff Forum and Inter-Faith Thanksgiving Service held at the 800-Seater Auditorium, using the occasion to affirm their support for the new administration and its reform agenda.

For the workers, the most significant relief has come from the prompt and regular payment of salaries, a development they stressed has restored financial stability to households that had endured months of uncertainty.

They maintained that the conclusion of the 2023 promotion exercise and the simultaneous commencement of the 2024 and 2025 promotion exercises have further reinforced staff confidence in the administration’s commitment to career progression and professional development.

Staff who spoke during the interactive session noted that the atmosphere on campus had shifted from confrontation to cooperation, enabling the Polytechnic to focus on its core mandate of teaching, research, and community service.

According to them, the retired staff have also felt the impact, with the Acting Rector’s administration making substantial payments of portions of gratuities owed to retirees.

On his part, the Acting Rector identified the restoration of industrial harmony and peace as a cornerstone achievement of his first 100 days, which he said has created an enabling environment for academic and administrative productivity.

Lawson, in his address, acknowledged the support and understanding of the staff and students, appreciating Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for his enabling role in the institution’s recovery.

The Acting Rector outlined a series of concrete achievements that have directly impacted the welfare and working conditions of staff, including the restoration of academic culture and discipline, the successful accreditation of 12 academic programmes, the provision of a new school portal to streamline administrative processes, and the rejigging of the security unit to address campus safety concerns.

While assuring staff that their welfare remained a priority and that plans were underway for comprehensive training and retraining programmes, Lawson disclosed that the implementation of the new minimum wage was currently being addressed by a committee constituted by the Ondo State Government, indicating that progress was being made on this long-standing demand.

Meanwhile, the Forum also provided a platform for staff to raise concerns and make observations, with workers raising issues related to infrastructural decay, equipment needs, and the desire for more staff development opportunities.