The academic and non-academic staff of the Anambra State Polytechnic (ANSPOLY), Mgbakwu, on Wednesday, protested at the Anambra State Government House, calling for the sack of the management of the institution over alleged incompetence.

According to Daily Post, the staff of the institution who carried placards with different inscriptions first arrived at the Anambra State House of Assembly, where they presented their case at the gate of the assembly.

They further moved to the State Government House, where they also presented their case, demanding the sack of the management of the institution.

According to a lecturer in the institution, Emeka Ilouno, the polytechnic has been run aground by members of the management.

He also led three members to meet with the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Solo Chukwulobelu.

Ilouno said, “Each time we are here on a protest like this, we are given hope that things will get better, but things are getting worse in the polytechnic.

“We as staff of the institution have obligations, we have families. Infrastructure in the polytechnic is very poor, staff welfare is at its lowest, yet the management of the institution, including the rector and members of governing council are feeding fat.

“When the institution was upgraded from a College of Agriculture to a polytechnic in 2017, we were so happy that at least there is a ray of hope, but it is even worse.”

Some of the other protesters who spoke to journalists said the Rector of the institution, Nneka Mefo, had remained on the saddle for about 17 years and had constituted herself into a problem for the institution as she and the management team took decisions without recourse to the state of the polytechnic.

Some of the placards wielded by the protesting staff read, “Poor staff welfare in ANSPOLY, ANSPOLY registrar retired but still working, poor salary structure in ANSPOLY, we need full accreditation in the polytechnic.”

Others read: “ANSPOLY Management must go, ANSPOLY governing council must go, ANSPOLY Rector has been on seat for 17 years, external auditors needed in ANSPOLY, infrastructure decay in ANSPOLY, no promotion for years,” among others.

Last Friday, ex-students of the institution also protested against the management, shutting out visitors during their convocation ceremony, insisting that students who graduated from the institution have had their certificates described as invalid by other institutions because of lack of full accreditation for the institution.

The rector of the institution, Nneka Mefo, in her response, said she was aware of some of the challenges in the institution, including poor pay package, insisting that even members of management who were being protested against were also affected. She said there were efforts to resolve all pending issues.