Ondo State Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has assured the students of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, that his administration is working on resolving some of the major challenges facing the institution.
The Governor gave the assurance while addressing thousands of the students who met him at the gate of the school in Owo on his way to Ikare Akoko on Thursday.
The students had given the Governor and his entourage a rousing reception, shantung solidarity songs and urging the Governor to address them.
The Governor, who thanked the students for the warm reception, said he was aware of some of the challenges facing the institution, especially the issues of arrears of salaries and entitlement of teaching and non-teaching staff.
The Governor said: “I did not expect that I will meet thousands of you here. This morning, I was at UNII did not expect that I will meet hundreds of you here. This morning, I was at UNIMED to attend their 5th convocation, left for the Dome in Akure for the swearing in of one of your own in person of Chief Olayide Adelami as the Deputy Governor of Ondo State about 30 minutes ago and we are now on our way to Ikare Akoko for the campaign of our party for the coming bye-election in Akoko North West/Akoko North East Federal Constituency.
“I want to thank you very much for this reception. When I initially saw the crowd, I thought you wanted to say that we are owing you, but I met something different. You have demonstrated love and solidarity with us.
“I want to assure you that the government knows your problems and the challenges you are facing. I want to tell you that your Union, they know what we are doing and they have been talking about it.
“When I was the Acting Governor, I ensured that the government offset some of the arrears (of workers of the institution) by giving the school 850 million naira. I want to assure you again that in a few days, something will be done to resolve the remaining lingering issues”.
On the directive of the Governor, the Head of Service of the State, Pastor Kayode Ogundele, is engaging the management of the institution towards finding lasting solutions to the issues that have threatened to cripple the academic calendar of the institution in recent years.