Rector Urges Poly Staff To Work For Peace

Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Dr. Mufutau Olatunde Olatinwo, has urged all categories of staff in the sector to always work for enduring peace in their institutions in the interest of progress and development.

Olatinwo, who was speaking at this year’s commemoration of Peace Day held recently in the school, stated that no meaningful academic and professional progress could be achieved in an atmosphere of distrust, rancour and acrimony.

Also speaking at the occasion, the guest speaker and Provost, Kwara State College of Education, Oro, Dr. Abiodun Oyatoye, disclosed that there is need for employers and employees in institutions of higher learning and indeed, all stakeholders, to be faithful in their relationship in order for the institutions to fulfill the mandate of the governments.

The 31 July of every year date is celebrated in the polytechnic to commemorate the end of a bitter internal crisis which was eventually settled by a powerful Federal Government delegation in July 2007.

Olatinwo disclosed that maintaining peace and harmony in the polytechnic is important and thanked the stakeholders in the institution, including the chairman and members of the Governing Council, principal officers, management staff and students, for maintaining the “equilibrium that has allowed the system to continue to function smoothly.”

He noted that to continue to progress as an institution, all the staff and stakeholders must “resolve within us to work for peace in the polytechnic and in the face of scarce resources, we must endeavour to sacrifice. Above all, we must endeavour to trust ourselves. Trust is very important as lack of it naturally brings suspicion and acrimony.”

Olatinwo enumerated the efforts of the management towards ensuring peace and progress in the school to include prompt settlement of staff salary and allowances, regular discussions with stakeholders including industrial and students’ unions, thus removing communication gap, removal of cleavages and loyalty to individuals and personalities and encouragement of absolute loyalty of staff to the school, regular promotion of staff and transparent promotion exercise, staff development including regular holding of workshops and support for acquisition of higher academic and professional qualification, encouraging culture of research and academic excellence and provision of necessary infrastructure to make teaching and learning conducive.

He also urged the staff and students to always maintain peace so as not to disappoint the Minister of Education, Prof. Rukayatu Ahmed Rufai, who is particularly interested in peace in the polytechnic.

“The rector that the management of the polytechnic will continue to uphold justice fairness and shall continue to pursue the best interest of this polytechnic in all areas. I urge all of us, as individual staff and stakeholders, to also rededicate ourselves to the development of this polytechnic and ensure continued peace and progress,” he added.

The guest speaker listed the benefits of peaceful co-existence in the polytechnic to include attainment of goals of the institution, undisturbed academic activities, conducive atmosphere for research as well as aversion of heartache and avoidable ailments.

In his remarks, the Chairman, Non-Academic Staff Union, Mr. AbdulAzeeez Balogun, commended the school’s management for always striving to meet the demands of the workers.

He disclosed that his union has had no cause to report the management to its national office because it has been giving priority to the union’s demands.

In their remarks, both the outgoing and the new representative of the Minister of Education in the school’s Governing Council, Mrs. Ngozi Onuoha and Mrs. Wumem Asomugha, urged the staff to support the management in the onerous task of moving the polytechnic forward.