RUGIPO Clears Air On Alleged High Handedness On Institution’s Governing Council Chair

By Niyi Olutunde, Akure

The Management of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo, Ondo State, on Thursday cleared the air on the alleged high handedness on the Chairman, Governing Council of the institution, Mr. Banji Alabi by some people in the state.

The Management through its Public Relations Officer, Mr. Samuel Ojo said its became necessary to open the eyes of the public to the landmark, unique contributions and achievements of the institution through the Governing Council Chairman, Alabi rather than to join issue with the alleged story.

Mr. Ojo, in a statement made available to journalists in Akure reads, “The attention of the Management has been drawn to a baseless and unfounded allegations against the personality of our respected chairman of council in the social media by people who shared destiny with mischieve. Ordinarily, we need not to join issues with them but it has become necessary to open the eyes of the public to the landmark and unique contributions and achievements of Banji Alabi as the chairman of council of Rugipo.

“In the administration of the polytechnic, every relevant segments is involved and to say the least the administration of the institution is based on committee system.

“Committee system of administration does not accommodate high handedness but make it participatory.

“The appointment of the Principal officers spread across and in the history of the institution for the first time, the appointment was gender sensitive and a female became a principal officer without much noise, a visit to the institution today will convince anyone of the laudable achievements of Banji Alabi’s council with the management of the institution.

“At the time Banji Alabi took over as the Chairman, Governing Council on the 15th March, 2018, the institution was in serious crisis ranging from nine months of unpaid salaries, students unrest, different forms of irregularities and remains institution battled with unflattering image crisis.

“To the Glory of God, in just one and half years down the line, the state-owned tertiary institution has experienced tremendous progress in line with the dreams of the visitor who gave the council a mandate to retool, reposition and re-engineer the institution.

“For the first time in the history of the institution, a sitting Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, described Alabi’s led governing council as the best.”

On the alleged of illegal employment in the institution, the institution PRO said, “this is a demonstration of sheer ignorance, Banji Alabi is a known and respected Lawyer and by discipline he would never be involved in any fowl play his accusers should be intelligent and think wisely.

“It is a paradox of statement to say that a group of dissatisfied staff are thinking of protest when the embodiment of staff is pouring encomiums on the transformation agenda of Banji Alabi led Council.”

According to Ojo, change is difficult, a lot of people were benefiting from the total collapse of the state-owned institution before Alabi’s led governing council took over.

“We do everything possible to fight back and frustrate the change process to rebuild RUGIPO to world standard.

Now, the institution have achieved Internet penetration on campus, establishment of Huawei ICT academy, restoration of damaged ICT Centre, renovation of water bottling/bread factory and construction of perimeter fence, reduction of outstanding salaries from 9 months to 4 months, contractors are back on site to complete E-Test Centre, FSSCS Building, FAT Building, Rectory Building, Registry Building, Bursary Building, Staff audit, Ban on sale of handouts, Clampdown on money for mark and issuance of fake certificate syndicate group.

“Privatization of staff school, appointment of principal officers, Teetfund overseas/local training for large numbers of our employees,Teetfund scholarship to large numbers of our employees to pursue PhD/MsC in local & foreign universities, installation of transmission equipment for Rugipo Radio, collaboration with one of the best universities in Nigeria to commence degree programs from October/November 2020, the school has been named Centre of Excellence, power plant and Tech hub have been approved for the school,” he said.