By Uredo Omale PRO.
Kogi state polytechnic Lokoja has dismissed four lecturers for gross misconduct.
This is just as the Governing Council has approved the promotion of Eight (8) Principal Lecturers to the prestigious rank of Chief Lecturers.
This was contained in Press Release signed by the PRO Uredo Omale and made available to Treasure times on Thursday in Kogi.
The statement noted that the dismissed lecturers were found culpable of insubordination, falsification of record, Sexual Harassment, disobedience to lawful order, diversion of TETFUND training grant, among others.
According to the statement, these were part of the far reaching decisions at the 68th Regular Meeting of the Governing Council held on Wednesday, 8th March, 2023 at the Polytechnic’s Council Chamber.
Those promoted to Chief Lecturers are: Dr. Ayodele Shade Oluwakemi, Department of Computer Sciences, Mr. Adalumo Adebola, Department of Fine Arts and Mr. Lawal Fatai Kolade, Department of Statistics.
Others are: Dr. Akande Stephen Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Attah Yusuf Emmanuel, Department of Business Administration, Mr. Joel Tope Ebenezer, Department of Social Sciences and Humanities,
Mr. James Oricha, Department of Arts and Social Sciences and Mr. Aleshegba Ebenezer Department of Industrial Design.
The dismissed staff are: Mr. Abutu Thompson Okolo, Department of Language and Communication, Mr. Ipinmoroti Samuel Adejoro, Mrs. Adegoke Kehinde Vivian (Both of the Department of Architectural Techology) and Sylvester Ojone Blessing of Registry Department.
Mr. Thompson, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Language and Communication, was dismissed on account of sexual harassment and victimisation of a female student in the Department of Computer Science.
Mr. Ipinmoroti Samuel Adejoro and Mrs. Adegoke Kehinde Vivian, were dismissed for disobedience to lawful order, falsification of document to obtain training grant and diversion of the said training grant to the tune of 22,676,500.00 and 21,204,000.00 respectively.
The Council further directed the Management to use available legal means to recover from Mr. Ipinmoroti and Mrs. Adegoke the total sum of 22,676,500 and 21,204,000 respectively, being the fund they fraudulently collected as training grant without undergoing the training at the approved University in Malaysia.
Mrs. Slyvester Ojone Blessing was dismissed for absconding from duty from 5th January, 2020 to 31st July, 2022.
Mrs. Ojone is to refund the sum of 1,356,653.79, being the unearned salaries drawn from the Government within the period of abscondment.
In a related development, the Polytechnic also terminated the appointment of Mr. Aremu Oloruntoba Samuel of the Department of Social Science and Humanities, School of General and Communication Studies, on account of gross misconduct bordering on extortion of students in the name of Continuous Assessment (CA).
The probationary appointment of Mr Aremu was therefore terminated, just as he was directed to refund the sum of Two hundred and Ten thousand naira (N210,000.00) only being the illegal money he imposed and collected from the students for Continuous Assessment (CA).
The Chairman of the Governing Council on behalf of the Council lauded the Management of the Polytechnic under the Rector, Dr. Salisu Ogbo Usman, for its dedication to service, just as he calls for more positive reforms for sustainable academic development and excellence in the Institution.
The Chairman also congratulated the newly promoted Chief Lecturers and charged them to justify the promotion with more dedication, hardwork and excellent research for academic development.
Dr. Usman appreciated the Chairman and Members of the Governing Council for the sustained support and consistent encouragement.
The Rector while joining the Chairman of the Governing Council to congratulate the newly promoted staff, he also admonished staff at all levels to desist from unethical conduct capable of tarnishing the hard earned reputation of the Polytechnic and specifically to their family.
The Rector specifically appreciated His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello the Executive Governor of Kogi State, for providing the enablement for the entrenching reforms by not interfering in the internal administration of the Polytechnic.
