The Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, has resumed its suspended semester examinations following a dispute between the management and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) over security concerns.
The examinations resumed on Monday across the institution’s two campuses, alongside other academic activities.
The Rector, Kamoru Kadiri, confirmed the development, saying academic activities had returned to normal.
The dispute began after ASUP members withdrew their services on September 15 over the management’s decision to hold some governing council meetings outside the polytechnic.
The union questioned the security reasons given for moving the meetings to Ilorin, the state capital, and accused the management and governing council of failing to address staff welfare and working conditions.
In a letter dated September 15, the union also alleged that the management had given the Federal Ministry of Education misleading information about security at the institution.
ASUP called for Kadiri’s suspension over alleged malfeasance and declared a vote of no confidence in the principal officers and governing council.
The union subsequently announced the withdrawal of academic staff services until the security concerns were addressed by the Ministry of Education.
However, the management said holding council meetings outside the polytechnic was a temporary measure aimed at ensuring security, institutional stability and the continued functioning of the governing council.
Kadiri told the Minister of Education in an August letter that the arrangement did not affect the council’s statutory responsibilities.
The Federal Ministry of Education later approved the temporary relocation of council and committee meetings to suitable venues outside the polytechnic because of security concerns.
The ministry, however, directed the institution to ensure that the meetings complied with due process.
With the resumption of examinations, academic activities have now continued at the polytechnic.
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