By Ovie Okpare
The President of the Student Union Government (SUG) of the Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, Prince Gabriel Othuke says students of the polytechnic had to embark on protest to demand reversal of the policy barring students and visitors from driving their vehicles into the school premises when the school management refused to look into their appeals.
Prince Othuke, who condemned the ban, stressed that there is no higher institution in Delta State and across Nigeria where students are banned from driving their vehicles and motorcycles into the school premises.
The SUG President stated this in an exclusive interview with NIGER DELTA TODAY Online over Tuesday’s protest which grounded academic activities in the institution as well as traffic gridlock along the Ughelli/Asaba Expressway.
According to him, “We protested because we have been patient over the marginalization of our dear students of Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro over our students parking their vehicles and bikes outside the school premises.
ALSO READ: Why Students Are Barred From Driving Vehicles Into School Premises – Ozoro Poly Rector
“Some of these students are fathers and others are old enough to be fathers but for reason best known to them they decided to come back to complete their education. The school management directed all students to park their vehicles outside campus and trek a distance of seven kilometers before getting to their department.
“We (SUG) have written to management to revisit the policy but they refused. We reminded them severally but they also refused. We have also written to all security agencies in the area but they gave us deaf ears. As students, we decided to embark on peaceful protest.
“If our students will not be allowed to enter the school with their vehicles, other persons will not also be allowed to drive into the school.”
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While reacting to the polytechnic Rector, Prof. Job Akpodiete’s claim that students were banned from driving into the school because of reckless driving which had resulted in incessant accidents within the school premise, the SUG President said “It’s just a story of defense.”
The Ozoro student leader insists that the ban was not limited to students alone, and called on the state government to immediately intervene in the matter before it degenerate into further showdown that could disrupt the institution’s academic activities.
“The reason the management gave to us for the ban was that graduating students out of excitement pull Champaign on their cars and throw money around celebrating their graduation within the school premises. They said if that be the case, whenever students are writing final year examination, students will have to park their vehicles outside and they should also celebrate their graduation outside.
“We are not writing final year examinations. We just started the first semester. Even as a visitor who has come to visit someone in the school, you are not allowed to drive your vehicle into the school. As a visitor, you will be compelled to park outside and trek to see the person.
“It’s as that bad. Only staff are allowed to drive into the school premises with their cars and bikes. That’s not done in any higher institution in Delta State and across the country. We have never heard of this policy elsewhere. Ozoro poly is not a secondary school, and we should not be treated as such”, Prince Othuke added.
While disclosing that the protest had been called off for two weeks to enable the management of the institution review the policy, it stressed that if nothing was done to address the plight of the polytechnic students, they would shut down the school academic activities.
“We have had roundtable discussion with the management which they promised that in two weeks time they will get back to us. If by the end of the two weeks’ time, they fail to meet our demands, we are shutting down the school.
He also debunked that the ban was instituted by the school governing council, adding, “It’s just a story of defense. The new governing council had just been inaugurated last week. You can’t tell us that the person who had just been inaugurated was the one who made the policy that had been operating in the school premises for how many months.
“We are appealing to the Delta State government to come to the aid of Nigerian students in Ozoro poly. If this anomaly is not quickly corrected, it will destroy the academic activities in the school and this may not be good for the image of the school.
“We are hearing rumour that the school management wants to suspend the SUG President (which is me) for leading the protest. But our students have also said if anything of such happen, the school will be shut down completely. The students believe that I have done the right by representing their interest.”
