Governor Ikpeazu Discharges N450M Salary Support To Abia Polytechnic

Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu has approved the discharge of N450 million as salary support to the State Polytechnic for immediate payment of four months' salary arrears of its workers.

According to a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary of the governor, Onyebuchi Ememanka on Wednesday, Ikpeazu approved the release of the money while receiving a delegation of student leaders from tertiary institutions across the state in the Government House in Aba.

This act came after the withdrawal of the accreditation of Abia Polytechnic by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) over non payment of 30 months' salaries of its staff.

The governor held that his administration would not abandon the institution, although the government was not responsible for the payment of salaries of tertiary institution workers in Abia State.

“What the State Government owes the institution is a monthly subvention of N 90million and this administration has so far paid N7.1 Billion to the Polytechnic since I assumed office in 2015.

“This translates to N 92million  every month for the 78 months I have been in office as governor.

“With this N 450million additional support, the polytechnic has received over N7.5billion from this administration,” he said.
 
He expressed surprise as to why the polytechnic is unable to pay its worker even as it “collects and retains all manner of fees from their students.”

Ikpeazu stated that since the polytechnic oversees its admissions and recruitment process, it must be able to manage whatever support it receives.

The Governor, however, noted that the authorisation of the NBTE is not broadened to the extent of shutting down an institution due to issues around labour. 

Ikpeazu wondered why institutions in some states where insecurity had halted academic activities were yet to be shut down by NBTE.

He appreciated the student leaders for taking up the task, noting that the government will meet with the management of Abia Polytechnic on Friday, July 28, to fix its labour problems. 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the student leaders were members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the National Association of Abia State Students (NAAS).