The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics has birthed a new branch at Federal Polytechnic, Orogun with Comrade Progress Omo-Agege as its pioneer interim chairman of the union in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
Those inaugurated are, Comr Progress Omo-Agege as chairman, Comr Gift Ajeho Vice, Comr Okorodudu Omamuyivwi Russell, Secretary, Comr Osijaye Joy Ejakpovi Treasurer and Comr Obejewho Ogaga Victor as Asst. Sec., with a charge to bridge the gap between union and the institution management.
Speaking during the inauguration, Rector of the Federal Polytechnic Orogun, Dr. Duke Okoro assured the union of a friendly and accommodating working relationship with the institution.
The Rector, represented by the school Librarian, Dr. Edwin Achugbue said, “The Polytechnic Management Staff are very union friendly and we are in support of whatever happening here today because the Polytechnic will not achieve her dreams if the union is not in place.
“There are things the union will do and there are things the management will do, so we are very happy that we are putting the structures in place gradually.
“My appeal is for you to work with your chairman, read your constitution carefully to know when to act and when not to act and how to act but it is important when we listen to each other.” He advised
National Trustee of SSANIP and South South coordinator, Comrade Godwin Ikhide while inaugurating the interim executive said, “Today event is epoch as the Federal Polytechnic Orogun become the youngest member of the SSANIP family nationwide.
“It is an exciting moment when you see young men and women who are in the work force of the Polytechnic expressing willingness to unionized.
“Unionism is not a confrontation as people use to think that it is banging tables and shouting back at management but a synergy with the management to ensure that the needful is done especially in a new institution like federal Polytechnic Orogun.
“We have inaugurated the branch and we have hands in the saddle with Comrade Progress Omo-Agege as the Interim chairman and all the young heads put together are persons we are sure will take us to a very good level.
“But as union members, we must acquaint ourselves with facts because no matter the war, a third party must come in and I am charging them to be selfless because unionism is not a place of selfish interests, but must be holistic.
In his acceptance speech,the interim chairman of SSANIP, Federal Polytechnic Orogun, Comrade Progress Omo-Agege said, “The drive and efforts put together to make today a reality with the help of God, shows we fill very pained of the reality on ground that some of us a passing through.
‘We want things to be done as soon as possible and we are happy to have seasoned comrades in our institution, the Deputy Registra and above all, the Rector, Registra and Liberian are all part of this struggle over the year and our confidence that we will deliver is hundred percent sure.
“My inauguration today is like the reconciliation of my past havn being in the comradeship struggles right my school days at Government College, Ughelli as an Environmentalist, and Delta State University as a student unionist.
“We accept all the responsibilities that will confront us in the office that we have been sworn into, and we are confident of putting in hundred percent output.
Aside the my background of comradeship, I am so confident because I have a Rector, Polytechnic Librarian, a Registra that are comrades and all these put together will give me the best. And I have a seasoned Deputy Registra that is also Comrade.
“We are all family of comrades and having comrades in the same boat, you can trust the process, we will get the best even as we disagree to agree.
On the issues of unpaid allowances and arrears of SSANIP members in the institution, Omo-Agege said, This is the platform to address those menace and trust me, when they denied me and others, there was no platform and now that we have a platform, we will get good results and when you see me again ask me.”
