The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), on Wednesday, accused the Federal Government of appointing five unqualified rectors out of the six polytechnics recently established by the federal government.
To correct the situation, the association said it has instituted legal action against the federal government on the appointments which it said was against the Polytechnic Act of 2019.
National President of ASUP, Anderson Ezeibe stated this at the 100th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of ASUP held at the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State.
He said; “Recently the Federal Government announced six new Federal polytechnics, one in Cross River State, Oyo, Plateau, Benue, Borno and the Enugu States.
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“And in the Federal polytechnics Amendment Act 2019, the qualification to the appointment of a rector in any of the polytechnics in Nigeria, such a person shall be a Chief Lecturer and must have not less than five years experience in any Nigeria polytechnics.
“Unfortunately five out of the six rectors that were appointed into these newly established polytechnics are neither chief lecturers, nor are they from any of these polytechnics in Nigeria.
“What it means is that they have fallen short of the qualifications required to be in that office,” Ezeibe lamented.
“The union is already in court with the Federal Government on the matter. We have already served them, the appointing authority, that is the president, through substituted means in one of the national dailies.”
Also, the ASUP national president called on the Edo state government to pay five months salary arrears owed to the workers of Edo State Polytechnic, Usen.
The Edo State Deputy Governor, Comrade Philips Shaibu, who was represented by the Chief of Staff, Office of the Deputy Governor Mr Jimoh Ijegbai, said that the government was aware of the lingering labour issues at the Edo Polytechnic, Usen, saying that adequate steps were being taken to address it.
”That issue still lingering at Edo State Polytechnic, Usen will soon be a thing of the past” he assured.
The Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Mustapha Zubair on lamented the poor rating of Polytechnics in Nigeria, saying that the Polytechnic Act has criteria specific for Polytechnic which the manager’s in the sector strive to accomplish.
He urged the Union to choose dialogue in pursuing their agitation. – Vanguard.
