Abia Poly crisis: Adhoc-committee chair calls for recall of sacked union leaders

The Abia State House of Assembly adhoc-committee which was setup by the Speaker of House, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji to investigate the crisis between the management of the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba has submitted its report with the call for the recall of sacked union leaders without any fake certificate scandal.

The committee which also investigated the financial management of the State owned polytechnic also called for invitation of the officials of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to investigate the activities of Liodant Business Services which provides internet services for the school. This is even as the committee called for the termination of the ongoing contract between the school and Liodant.

The Chairman of the adhoc-Committee Hon.Barr. Jerry Uzosike while presenting the findings of the committee on the floor of the House recommended reduction of the institution’s acceptance fee to N15,000, WIFI fee should be removed from Student fees as each student now has internet Connection in their Phones, increase of the polytechnic’s monthly subvention,

Other recommendations are that the downsizing of the Staff Strength of the polytechnic is not only recommended but inevitable; adding that disengaged staff should be paid all their salary arrears.

According to Hon. Uzosike “That Liodant Business Services engaged by the Institution is Fraudulent, that Liodant business  Services refused to give the Committee the breakdown of its Deduction but a source from the grapevine revealed that Liodant  Business Services engages other Financial Institutions to deduct more than the agreed fee”

“In this 2019, the Polytechnic has only received one Month Subvention, the only revenue generating avenue of the Institution is through levies on the students.

“That the Rectors lodge is in a very bad Condition, which makes the RECTOR stay in a Hotel whenever he is in Abia”

“That Abia State Polytechnic has not Convocated its Students for the past 10years”

“That Many Departments are in dire need of reaccreditation by the National Board for Technical Education”

“That Passed Administrations of the Institution hired staff in anticipation of moving to the Permanent Staff”

“That the enabling Laws of the Abia State Polytechnic gives the management too much Powers”

“That Total Fees paid by every average student in Abia Poly is about N110,000.

“That most Union Leaders were sacked while the Committee was on its assignment.

“That One Person holds Three Important Positions in the Institution i.e. One Person is the HOD, one Person is the Bursar and one Person is the Director of Sports.”

The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji thanked the Chairman of the adhoc- Committee for their incisive Work on their Assignment and committed the report to the House Committee on the Whole after the Motion by the Majority Leader.