The Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe, Bayelsa, has resumed academic activities after months of lingering labour disputes that resulted in the institution being shut down.

The resumption followed the intervention of education minister Tunji Alausa, as students and staff members were seen moving around the main campus while the liaison office was open.

The minister had summoned parties to the industrial dispute that had left the polytechnic, located on the banks of the River Nun in Bayelsa, shut since July 11, to a mediatory meeting on September 29.

Ebifiye Etebu, chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union at the polytechnic, said on Tuesday that work resumed on Monday in compliance with the minister’s directive.

“Following mediation by the Minister of Education, we resumed work on Monday, and normalcy has returned on campus and in the liaison office at Yenagoa,” Mr Etebu said.

James Ebilade, a student in the Electrical Engineering Department, applauded the minister for brokering a truce that led to the reopening of the school.

“The prompt mediation of the minister and subsequent resumption is highly commendable. We, the students, heaved a sigh of relief hearing the news of resumption. The resumption is a reality, as both academic and non-academic staff members are on the ground,” he said.

The governing council of the polytechnic held an emergency council meeting at the weekend ahead of Monday’s resumption and set up a panel to investigate allegations against the rector, Lukman Agbabiaka.

The unions, including the Non-Academic Staff Union, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics, and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, in the polytechnic, had withdrawn their services, alleging high-handedness and a breach of the Polytechnic Act.

The probe panel was mandated to report its findings within three weeks, in line with the minister’s directives.

The workers had kept the institution under lock for allegedly violating the Polytechnic Act by the rector, who had taken the three unions to court over labour disputes, whereas the governing council was statutorily mandated under the Act to handle labour-related matters.

When contacted for a reaction on current developments, Nimizuo Pereseigha, spokesperson for the institution, declined to comment.

(NAN)