LASOPTECH staff unions vow to resist rector imposition

Three staff unions of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) on Friday threatened to resist alleged plans by the Lagos State Government to appoint an external administrator as the institution’s rector.

The unions are the institution’s chapters of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP), the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP).

The unions made the threat in a joint statement signed by Mrs Abiola Akinkugbe, Mr Akinawon Fasasi and Mr Thomas Awoyemi the chairmen of ASUP, NASU and SSANIP respectively.

The statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos said that such appointment had been the case in the past and was of no benefit to the institution.

“LASPOTECH is in the process of making history again with the appointment of the 10th rector that will steer the ship for another term of five years from June 1, 2015.

“The staff unions in the institution wish to state that they will, on no ground, accept in whatever form, any external individual to lead her management as rector or any principal officer for that matter.

“Experience over time has shown that externally sourced principal officers imposed on the polytechnic before now have exhibited a lack of understanding of the polytechnic system.

“Such appointees have only shown parasitic tendencies, having been offered leave of absence from their parent institutions,’’ the statement said.

“LASPOTECH has enjoyed a good working relationship with the current government and will counsel that this should not be taken for weakness or cowardice.

“We strongly oppose the imposition of any candidate outside the polytechnic system.’’

It urged the state government not to renege on an agreement it entered into with the union in 2011 with regards to the process of appointing a rector.

The statement further expressed displeasure that the state governor, who is also the visitor to the institution, had not physically attended the school’s convocation since 1999.