The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Yaba College of Technology Chapter has frowned at the location of a petrol filling station being built between the college’s central laboratory and science complex.
Ojo Monday, Chairman, ASUP, YABATECH Chapter, said this at a news conference at the college on Tuesday.
Monday said the development was an anomaly and a keg of gun powder.
He said that the MoU for the station was signed during the tenure of the former Rector, Obafemi Omokungbe, and urged relevant authorities to help prevent the worst from happening.
He said: “The site of the petrol station is conspicuously dangerous to lives of students, staffers and other patrons of the College.
“It is stuck in-between where volatile chemicals and high inflammable reagents are stored for students use.
“On the other side of the site is our science complex that houses offices, classrooms, laboratories, and behind is the central store, which warehouses sensitive equipment of the college such as A/C, stationery, refrigerators, fans and computer systems.”
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Besides, Monday said that the college was choked and could not accommodate a business enterprise of the magnitude: 1280 square metres.
He said that the site should be earmarked for additional classrooms and needed staff offices.
Monday said that under the terms of the MoU, the college land in question was leased for 100 years (2023-2122) for an annual rent of N3.5 million, which was questionable in such a high brow area.
The ASUP YABATECH Chapter Chairman alleged that the terms of agreement was not taken through due process, preventing the Council from adequately intervening before it was dissolved.
Dr. Ibraheem Abdul, Rector, YABATECH, in reaction, however, told newsmen that the Governing Council, in 2021, approved a petrol filling station to be sited on the barren land on the college premises.
Abdul said what was needed was to make necessary findings on the terms and conditions in the MOU.
He said that if it was confirmed that the position of the petrol station posed any danger to the college, lives of people or environment, this would call for the termination of the agreement.
According to him, his assessment of the MoU, on assumption of office in May, indicated that it was not in favour of the college.
He said: “The MoU the then management signed with a petroleum company was somehow lopsided.
“So coming into office in May this year, I realised that the MOU was not in favour of the College.
“I brought it to the knowledge of the Council, which directed that we should invite the parties involved in the MOU to renegotiate and discuss further on the contents, on which we are already in the process.
“I’m looking at the advantages and disadvantages in spite of the fact that the MOU had been signed by those who were in authority then and we cannot use a fire brigade approach, but go back to the negotiation table for the parties to discuss and have an amicable resolution.
“Unfortunately there is no more council, but before the council comes in, let us renegotiate the terms/conditions and make it favourable.”
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