The Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe in Bayelsa State, has resumed full academic activities after months of closure due to a prolonged labour dispute.
Reporters observed that students and staff members were seen returning to the main campus, while operations also resumed at the institution’s liaison office in Yenagoa.
The reopening followed the intervention of the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who convened a mediatory meeting on September 29 with all parties involved in the dispute.
Mr. Ebifiye Etebu, Chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) at the polytechnic, confirmed the development on Tuesday in Yenagoa.
“Following the mediation by the Minister of Education, we resumed work on Monday. Normalcy has returned to the campus and the liaison office,” Etebu said.
Also speaking, a student of the Electrical Engineering Department, Mr. James Ebilade, commended the Minister for brokering peace between the unions and the management.
“The prompt mediation and subsequent reopening of the school are highly commendable. We, the students, heaved a sigh of relief hearing the news of resumption,” he said.
It was learnt that the governing council of the institution held an emergency meeting at the weekend ahead of the reopening and set up a panel to investigate allegations against the Rector, Dr. Lukman Agbabiaka.
The unions—Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP), and Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP)—had embarked on an indefinite strike over alleged high-handedness and violations of the Polytechnic Act.
The probe panel, according to sources, was given three weeks to submit its report in line with the minister’s directive.
The unions had accused the Rector of taking them to court over labour matters that, by law, fall under the jurisdiction of the governing council.
When contacted, the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Nimizuo Pereseigha, declined to comment on the development.
