Ondo Higher Institutions: The Derivatives of Akeredolu’s Inactions

By Oyewale Oyelola

The wise saying that Education is the best legacy can never be outdated. Education remains the bedrock of development any society and it’s therefore imperative for government at all levels to priority the sector.

Unfortunately, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu led administration in Ondo State placed more importance on revenue generation rather than investing in education sector. The tertiary institutions across the state are now the victims of Akeredolu’s inactions.

For clarity, Ondo State Government owned tertiary institutions include Adekunle Ajasin University, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo and some monotechnics.

The above listed tertiary institutions have suffered double jeopardy under Akeredolu administration with increment of school fees, underfunding and insensitivity to workers’ welfare. Also, the inadequate funding has led to reduction in monthly subventions to state-owned tertiary institutions since June 2016, which affecting the payment of salaries, the capital grants, promotion, accreditation and re-accreditation of courses as at when due.

Consequently, some students who could not pay the exhorbitant tuition fee at 200-300percent increment were forced to dropout, thereby seeking other means of survival while others are doing both legitimate and illegitimate jobs, better put hustle (in the street parlance) to push through their academic activities.

Apart from that, the staff of Ondo State owned tertiary institutions are now begging to get their wages and allowances. The staff cooperative societies and in-house their investments have been crippled by insensitivity of present administration to workers’ plights.

Remittance of statutory dues, cooperative deductions, Union dues and others now coming in epilepsy nature like electricity supply in the country. Some workers could no longer further their education, which critical to their career development and progress.

Hence, the state government has turned excellent administrators managing the institutions to emotional and perception managers, frequently releasing persuasive messages to calm down staff after series of industrial strike action.

Furthermore, the host communities are also suffering pains of the business-centric education policy of APC administration in Ondo State.

Some Political watchers opine that Akeredolu has wrecked economic activities of host communities and its environs with his maladministration and insensitivity to welfare of institutions Staff.

Additionally, the landlords, traders, artisans, transport workers and others are indirectly feeling pains of the governor’s inactions due to drastically reduction in school population as a result of tuition fee increment.

It’s therefore unsurprising that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has been jumping from pillar to post to right his many wrongs ahead of Ondo 2020 governorship election.

Although, there is no bad time to the do the right thing but no amount of face saving strategy can erase 42 months of agony, pains, lamentations and suffering experienced by higher institutions staff, students, host communities and Ondo state residents in general.

No good leader would endorse commercialization of education in public sector; the good people of Ondo state must shine their eyes and ACT Right!

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