I was privileged to be one of the observers of the kwara state house of assembly plenary session of 20th of December 2017, wherein the session discussed the implementation of the house resolution on the tuition hike in the only state owned polytechnic, (kwara state polytechnic) and I must affirm and commend the vibrant nature of the assembly, negating the general assertion of the assembly as being a mere rubber stamped, as peddled by the vast majority of kwarans.
The Assembly, ably led by Rt. Hon. Ali Ahmad is all a legislative house must be and seen to be. articulate, constructive, educative and public oriented assembly. I must equally commend the house for standing by the masses and its quest to protect the image of its existence. But then, there are some points to note in the whole saga as the scene dramatically unfolds.
As attested to by the chief of staff to the kwara state governor Alhaji Yusuf Abdulwahab, that it is surprising that there was no circular in effect to the increment in the school fee. Distinguished members of the house, this act is not only illegal, it is also an attestation to the fraudulent acts going on within the polytechnic community as being voiced by many of us in the past. The lack of transparency in the affairs of the polytechnic is another impediment to her growth and requires an holistic approach to be dealt with.
That the increment is illegal is enough reason for total reversal. Why the antics of setting up a committee?
Defending the negligence by the executive as perceived by the legislatures on the resolution passed on the 13th of December 2017, The chief of staff, who doubles as the leader of the executive team, pronounced the constitution of a committee to look into the resolution of the house. With the intent of providing a workable solution for the polytechnic.
Distinguished members of the house, it is important to note that while the students make a claim that the school fees has been increased, the executive rather than setting up a committee to embark on a fact finding mission as done by the legislature, took a stand by the school management, thereby directing that the status quo be maintained. Not until the resolution of your noble chamber was pronounced. If no committee was set up in the process of increasing the school fees, to know how much should be added, why setting up a committee when the house passes a resolution of total reversal? Is the committee meant to scrutinize the resolution or what? Would the senate have constituted a committee to fact check the excesses of the executive and still have an executive as a member?
The constitution of the committee is illegal, demeaning to the legislative assembly and uncalled for. There is no two ways to represent that.
Distinguish members of the house, it is firstly important to know that against many staff voluntary resignation from kwara state polytechnic services, death of many, attaining the age of retirement of many. Kwara state polytechnic has never since 2010 make any public advertisement for recruitment hence no increment in staff strength but reduction. The polytechnic however in making up for the shortage of staffs due to those aforementioned circumstances engaged the services of part-time lecturers (HND and BSC.) with a monthly stipends of twelve thousand naira in payment for 24hours services in a month.
While the number of staffs rather decreases than increasing to correlate with the continuous growth in number of students on a yearly basis. The school fees has also being on an arithmetic progression path. So it is disheartened, that the execuse as given by the management each time there were increments was the payment of salaries. Does that not look like a fraud?
Let it be emphatically stated here that the total number of students the polytechnic had as far back as 2013 stood at fifty six thousand. Part-time and full-time. And then the number continue growing since we left the campus. It is important you took the students angle of the number of students for it is evident to us that the number of students officially being declared each year is 25,000. Ask united health care. The company who provides health insurance scheme for the students. Ask KIB who provides death insurance scheme for the students, Ask previous students union Governments who governs the students with their dues.
The management in the polytechnic is not being sincere, their excesses needed to be critically checked.
There is equally a recent vase of fraud perpetrated by a bursary staff of the polytechnic who doubles as desk officer of Bt Education consult, IT service provider for the school and has flee Nigeria already, Mr. Yemi Olashehinde who allegedly carted away with millions of Naira of the polytechnic and up till this moment, the polytechnic didn’t raise alarm over the case. Their silence raised an eye brawl as the shortfall in the polytechnic revenue as a result of that incidence is suspected to be the reason for the desperate move to increase the tuition fees of the polytechnic as cover up. We need this to be investigated, the students don’t have to bear the rots.
Distinguished honourable members of the house, the polytechnic management using their ever present deceitful tactics do always makes it look like the only sources of revenue the polytechnic had was the school fees. This wasn't just a lie, it is also a deceit we think the government didn't got to know about.
Dear honourable Members, here are other sources of revenue the polytechnic has.
1- the acceptance fee payment, 5000 naira for indegenes and 7,500 naira for non indigines ( this is bound and non refundable for all students) to be paid by minimum of 15000 students yearly.
Collection of certificates. Distinguish members of the committee, as it stands the collection of certificate stands at 14,500 in the polytechnic community. To be paid yearly by minimum of 10, 000 students.
The newly introduced compulsory 5, 000 naira for students copy of transcripts. To be paid by minimum of 10,000 students yearly.
Other fees inclusive of carry over fees and unpractical, practical fee.
These are other sources of income the management never made open to the public. That which we believed the government cum the assembly is not aware of.
Distinguish speaker sir, and all members of the house, it is important we provide you with this informations so as to help you in making an informed decisions.
Your decision to interfere in this case does not only bring hope to the minds and life of the students cum the parents. Many of which who have thought will be dropping out of the school. It also signifies the readiness of the assembly to be a pro masses one. Any attempt to allow the antics of the management as abated by the executive to prevail through inflating the number of staffs and salary figures and reducing the number of students and presenting such to the setup committee will further dash the hope and trust of the people on the readiness and effectiveness of the assembly.
Distinguish honourable members, to safe the soul of the polytechnic from further deterioration, and to further understand the rot in the polytechnic system. Independent visiting panel would be an ideal recommendation. This I believe will shed more lights on the problem facing the polytechnic. As we believe it is not shortage of revenue but mismanagement of the available/excessive resources due to the absolute power and autonomy enjoyed by the polytechnic management.
While we implore you to be steadfast in your support for the students we want to equally charged to look beyond now on the issue of kwara state polytechnic. Let elelu be sanctioned for lying to the public and Government. Let there be external auditing of the polytechnic finance, let get all the facts that can help in repositioning the polytechnic.
In pursuance of the kwara of our dreams, we pray for God continuous guidance in your affairs.
I am comrade Tajudeen Habeeb.
Students' union financial secretary Kara poly 2013.
NANS kwara Chairman 2015.
Public/social affairs analyst.
