Habeebat Ajayi
Palpable fear has gripped traders and drivers in Abeokuta over the proposed relocation of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic students to Ogun State Polytechnic, Ipokia.
Traders and drivers working within the Ojere campus who expressed their dissatisfaction over the relocation, said it will affect the economy of the state
Some of the traders and drivers who spoke with PRESS CLUB MAPOLY explained that the relocation of the polytechnic will have negative effect on their businesses, adding that MAPOLY students are their customer.
A driver identified as Mr Surakatu Eniola said the relocation would affect his income, saying “if MAPOLY relocate to Ipokia, my source of income would reduce and I will not have money to feed my family and extended ones”.
Surakatu also expressed his concern on the protection of the students, saying that Ipokia will not be conducive and there will not be proper protection for the students.
He said, “Ipokia is not going to be conducive for the students and there will not be proper protection for the student, poor accommodation, inadequate lecture room and inadequate basic facilities.
“The students fear is that they will not be able to adapt to the environment due to some reasons”.
Also speaking with PRESS CLUB MAPOLY, a trader, Mrs Victoria Idowu said that the relocation will encourage most of the students to engage in cultism, examination malpractices, among other social vices.
Idowu however appealed, to the state government to consider the students and lecturers before taking any action, saying, “the lecturers and students are the one to go to Ipokia, not the government.
“Government should consider the people in the policy they make, because this Ipokia is not developed, they don’t have adequate power supply and they also lack social amenities like Banks, Book shops, Poor ventilation and so on
“Relocating MAPOLY to Ipokia might encourage some student to engage in cultism, examination malpractice and other social vices”, she said.
However, a driver identified as Bode Adebayo said the relocation may change the students both psychologically and socially.
He added that it would be difficult for both the lecturers and the students to adapt with the new area because of the poor facility in the environment.
In his word, “it will be difficult for the student to adapt with the new area which may change them psychologically and socially.
“Also it will affect all business both inside and outside the school and immediate its community”.
