Wole Balogun, Ado Ekiti

The Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, has begun the construction of perimeter fencing and beefing up its security to ward off invasions by strangers, including herdsmen whose cattle destroy the institution’s vast farmland.

The school lost over N10 million worth of farm produce to herders and their cattle last year, said the institution.

It also noted that it had addressed sundry issues hitherto causing industrial disharmony between the management and staff unions by paying part of the outstanding N350 million cooperative deduction and arrears of CONTISS 15 salary to the workers.

The rector of the polytechnic, Dr. Hephzibar Oladebeye, spoke during a press briefing for the combined 17th convocation ceremonies of the institution slated for Saturday, August 12.

Oladebeye said a total of 16, 786 graduands would be conferred with Diploma and Higher National Diploma honours during the occasion.

He added that the institution had signed Memoranda of Understanding with the Federal University Oye Ekiti and Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, for the running of Bachelor degrees in Engineering (B.Eng) and Education (B.Ed) in some courses.

Related News

On the invasion of herdsmen into the institution, the rector said: “This has been our problems from time immemorial. Last year, they destroyed over N10m worth farm. It was very painful to us. We were agitated then and we held a meeting with the herders and security agencies.

“We are not going to drive them away, but we are commencing the perimeter fencing so that their movement in and out of this school can be regulated. Again, you have to take permission before you can graze here.”

Oladebeye appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to help the institution with finance, saying the it wants to embark on the construction of 3,000 capacity auditorium and the tarring of all deplorable roads, which he said would gulp a sum of N4.5 billion.

He said to the institution is presently undergoing accreditation by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for the running of Mass Communication and Arts and Designs programmes to give more Nigerians admission opportunities.

“Apart from stable academic calendar, all our moribund IGR ventures had been revamped to serve as alternative sources for revenue generation. We are also facilitating the take off of the proposed Ado-Poly Micro Finance Bank, which is set to start work this month.”

The rector stated that in spite of the nationwide boycott of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) by members of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), that other staff belonging to Senior Staff Association Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) and Non-Academic Staff Union(NASU) are already being captured.

Oladebeye added that a meeting had been convened by the office of the Accountant General of the Federation to resolve grey areas creating fear and making the staff to refrain from IPPIS.