EXCLUSIVE: More Than 200 Staff Of Abia Polytechnic Set To Be Sacked |READ FULL

About 200 more staffs of Abia state polytechnic will at any moment from now be swept away by the gale of retrenchment rocking the school, unless there is a late minute change of heart on the part of the School authorities.
All facts Newspapers authoritatively gathered last week that the polytechnic authorities have already put finishing touches to all arrangements leading to the issuance of letters of retrenchment to the affected staff.

The about 200 staff, when finally sacked will be joining their 300 counterparts who were earlier retrenchment in September 2019.

Rising from an emergency meeting of the Governorship Council of the polytechnic on Wednesday, which was presided over by the Chairman, Engr. John Nwangborogwu, and the Council blamed the past administration of the institution for its current woes.

The meeting noted that their indiscriminate staff recruitment policy brought about a regime of over bloated staff and very high monthly wage bill, estimated at over 124 million naira.

Like their earlier sacked colleagues, when sacked, the new victims will also be leaving without about 23 months of salary arrears.

When All Facts Newspaper visited the institution last week Wednesday, scores of staffers were seen in groups discussing the imminent development, with many of them gripped by tension.

It was gathered that the recent development is informed by serious financial crisis being faced by the institution recently, which has resulted in the polytechnic owing its staffs about 23 months' salary arrears.

The polytechnic authorities had expected that the earlier sack of the 300 staff would lead to regular payment of salaries for the remaining ones retained. But the situation has not been the case as the institution continues to real under a very difficult financial time.

Sources in the institution said that those to be affected by the latest lay-off exercise are staff who have put in between 20 to 25 years in service and others who have less than five years before retirement. Those people are to be retired, while those with minor disciplinary record are to be sacked out-rightly. It was also revealed that what is currently delaying the issuance of the sack letters to the affected staff is non-availability of the funds with which to pay them three months' salary in-lieu of notice.

Some workers who spoke under anonymity expressed doubt that salaries will be regular after the latest disengagement exercise.

"Look, even if they sack and leave behind only 100 staff, they will still not payÔÇØ one staff said.

As at the time of filling this report, none of the institution management members could be reached for comments as the polytechnic is currently on strike like others nationwide.

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