The Ondo State Governor, His Excellency, Dr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has provided major relief to staff of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo (RUGIPO), by clearing 10 out of the 13 months of unpaid salaries he inherited and approving the payment of the remaining three months.
The governor made the announcement during the weekend at the institution’s combined 12th–23rd convocation ceremony, officially ending the long-standing system of percentage salary payments in state-owned tertiary institutions.
Describing the percentage payment era as a “dark and painful period” in Ondo State’s educational history, Aiyedatiwa said his administration would never allow such hardship to return.
He expressed pride in the legacy of the school’s founder, the late Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin, and noted that it was unacceptable that RUGIPO had gone over a decade without holding a convocation ceremony. “I directed that this be rectified immediately, and today, we are witnessing a new dawn,” the governor said.
Aiyedatiwa explained that clearing the 13 months of salary arrears was one of the first challenges his government faced. To address it, several rounds of special intervention funds were released to reduce the burden on the institution, alongside an upward review of its monthly subvention to match that of other state tertiary schools. “I’m happy to confirm that Rufus Giwa Polytechnic now pays full salaries,” he announced.
The governor commended the patience of staff and students throughout the difficult years, praising the three workers’ unions for choosing dialogue over industrial action while the government sought solutions. He also promised to look into complaints of administrative injustice in the school to ensure fairness and transparency.
Reiterating his vision to transform education in Ondo State, Aiyedatiwa urged higher institutions to focus on producing innovators and entrepreneurs rather than job seekers.
He reaffirmed his plan to upgrade Rufus Giwa Polytechnic into a University of Agriculture and Agro-Business, adding that implementation efforts were already underway.
The governor also thanked the Federal Government and TETFund for their continuous infrastructural support and appealed to alumni, private organizations, and philanthropists to partner with the state in developing its educational sector.
In his remarks, Acting Rector, Mr. Olorunwa Adegun, described the governor’s action as a “turning point” for the institution, saying it rekindled hope among staff after years of hardship caused by unpaid salaries.
“Before your administration came in, workers were owed 13 months, with some receiving as little as five percent of their pay. Many lost their lives to the hardship. Your intervention restored dignity and renewed confidence in this institution,” Adegun said.
He further disclosed that the school had secured accreditation for 68 academic programmes, reopened its staff schools, and successfully held its first convocation in over ten years, during which 25,000 graduates received certificates.
Adegun added that RUGIPO has been chosen by TETFund as the Southwest hub for entrepreneurship development and a centre for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicle conversion, while both staff and students continue to earn national and international recognition for academic excellence.
