Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia has approved the release of N450 million as salary support to the State Polytechnic for the immediate payment of four months salary arrears.

A statement by the governor’s media aide, Onyebuchi Ememank, said this followed the withdrawal of the polytechnic’s accreditation by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) over the non-payment of 30 months’ salaries.

The governor gave the approval on Wednesday while hosting a delegation of student leaders from the tertiary institutions in Abia who paid him a visit at the Governor’s Lodge in Aba.

The governor said although the government is not responsible for the payment of salaries of tertiary institution workers in Abia, including the polytechnic, his administration will not abandon them.

“What the state government owes the institution is a monthly subvention of N90 million, and this administration has so far paid N7.1 Billion to the Polytechnic since I assumed office in 2015.

“This translates to N92 million  every month for the 78 months I have been in office as governor.

“With this N450 million additional support, the polytechnic has received over N7.5billion from this administration,” he said.

Mr Ikpeazu said the polytechnic must be able to manage what is available to it since it handles admissions independently and recruits its staff.

Commenting on the withdrawal of accreditation for the polytechnic by NBTE, the governor stated that the mandate of the NBTE does not extend to shutting down an institution on account of labour related issues since it is not the National Industrial Court.

The governor wondered why NBTE has not withdrawn the accreditation of tertiary institutions in some parts of the country where insecurity had stopped academic activities for over two years.

He said the government and Abia State University management will meet on Friday to resolve labour issues at the university, assuring of the government’s commitment to all state-owned higher institutions.

The student leaders who spoke earlier were drawn from the Students Union Governments of all tertiary institutions in the state.

(NAN)