OAU warns against buying varsity land from encroachers

Authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, Osun State have cautioned members of the public to be wary of land grabbers who encroach its property and sell to people. Besides, the university allayed fears that its dam was allegedly poisoned with chemicals by those who encroached on its land, insisting that the dam had been made wholesome for human consumption.
The management gave the warning yesterday while conducting journalists round the portion of land being forcefully taken over by land speculators and the dam. It’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) and Chief Security Officer (CSO) who conducted journalists round on behalf of management expressed disappointment that people could be emboldened as to invade portions of land belonging to the university and sell them to people.

The 162 hectares of land being taken over by the speculators is located at the Parakin Government Reserved Area (GRA) end of the university in Ile-Ife. The grabbers had placed a sign with inscription: Oduduwa Housing Estate Parakin, but abandoned a payloader, which was used to clear portions of the annexed land when security operatives stormed the area.

The management explained that the university stopped the intruders in August 2018 when it first noticed their activities but they resurfaced again recently. However, the university had restated that it would not cede any part the university’s property to individuals, saying if the Ife Community needed portion of the university land for development, they could approach management for discussions.

Meanwhile, staff members of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, Ogun State yesterday alleged that Governor Ibikunle Amosun has perfected plans to clamp down on their unions’ leaders.

The three labour unions in the institution in a statement yesterday in Abeokuta said information reaching them indicated that the government was also planning to disband the three unions in the Polytechnic and sack their executives.

The statement was issued by Chairman, Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Kola Sopade; his Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) counterpart, Babatunde Osifalujo; and Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP), Kola Olawunmi. The Unions have been at loggerheads with the state government over the conversion of MAPOLY to Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology (MAUSTECH) and establishment of Ogun State Polytechnic at Ipokia.

The unions said: “Our sin is that we are demanding what is legitimately due to us.”

Credit: Guardian