APC chieftain urges KOSG to re-open tertiary institutions

Chief Simeon Ogundele, a chieftain of the All Progressives Party (APC), has appealed to Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi to re-open state-owned tertiary institutions shut down in January.

Ogundele spoke with our reporter on Wednesday in Lokoja, after meeting with the leadership of the students’ unions.

It was reported that lecturers in the state’s five tertiary institutions embarked on strike in January over government’s failure to settle their salaries and arrears of assorted allowances.

The institutions include the Kogi State University, Anyigba, Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, College of Education (Technical) Lokoja, College of Education, Ankpa, and Kogi State School of Engineering, Lokoja.

The politician said that it was wrong to keep students perpetually at home, and regretted that they had become victims of the lingering feud between lecturers and the state government.

He wondered why lecturers should be frustrated into embarking on strike over unpaid salaries, and suggested that teachers’ salaries be made a priority in view of their roles in societal growth.

“In developed societies, the teacher is the first to be considered for such rights. Here, it is a different situation; this is sad,” he said.

‎Ogundele advised the governor to “critically look into the lingering disagreement”, stressing that students, parents and even the lecturers were tired of the indolence.

“The governor should immediately pay what is owed the lecturers in the interest of the state.

“It is dangerous for the society to keep the youths at home for so long, because they could be tempted to jump into vices which will not help the society,” he said.

Mr Philip Omepa, President of the Kogi State University chapter of the Students Union Government, who also spoke with our reporter, urged the governor to look into the plight of the students and take urgent steps toward re-opening the schools.

“The youths are the future of the society; the quality of the future depends solely on the way we treat the youths today,” he pointed out.

Omepa said that the students were tired of staying at home and wanted to go back to their classes.