Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has rejected the appointment of new Rectors and other principal officers for the five of the six newly established Polytechnics in Enugu, Oyo, Cross River, Plateau, Borno and Benue States.
Last week, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, named principal officers for the new institutions to include, Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, Oyo: Prof. Dakas J. Dakas is Council Chairman; Dr Taofeek Adekunle – Rector; Federal Polytechnic, Ohodo, Enugu: Chief Sylvester Ameh is Council Chairman; Prof. Edwin Onyeneje – Rector; Federal Polytechnic, Ugep, Cross River: Prof. Andrew Chukumeri is Council Chairman; Prof. Edward Ntui-Okay – Rector.
Federal Polytechnic, Shendam, Plateau: Sixtus Abetianbe is Council Chairman; Dr. Zakari Ya’u – Rector; Federal Polytechnic, Monguno, Borno: Dr. Umar Tambari is Council Chairman; Prof. Garba Mohammed – Rector; Federal Polytechnic, Wannune, Benue: Ibrahim Tukur is Council Chairman, Engineer Dr. Terlumun Utser – Rector.
However, ASUP through a letter dated April 9 and signed by its President, Anderson Ezeibe, alleged that the appointment was in violation of provisions of the Federal Polytechnics (Amendment) Act, 2019.
Ezeibe noted that five out of the six new rectors were not qualified for the provisions, having fallen short of the requirements captured in Section 8, 2 (a) I of the Act.
The letter read in part, “Our Union’s attention has been drawn to a recent press statement from the Federal Ministry of Education announcing the appointment of Rectors and other principal officers for the 6 new Federal Polytechnics situated in Enugu, Oyo, Cross River, Plateau, Borno and Benue States.
“A rundown of the profiles of the beneficiaries of this latest act of impunity shows that 5 out of the 6 persons do not fit into the requirements of the law for appointment of Rectors in Federal Polytechnics in the Country. These beneficiaries include: the appointees for Federal Polytechnics Ohodo (Enugu), Ugep (Cross River), Shendam (Plateau), Monguno (Borno) and Wannune (Benue).
“It is regrettable that the government, through officials of the Federal Ministry of Education has become principal violators of the laws governing the operations of the Nigerian Polytechnics.
“This latest assault is despite the contents of a recent ruling of the National Industrial Court in Abuja, where the provisions of the Federal Polytechnics (Amendment) Act 2019 were affirmed by the court and the Federal Ministry of Education and her officials undertaking to observe the provisions in totality.”
