Governor Sule Directs Governing Council To Advertise For The Position of Rector and Registrar For Nasarawa Polytechnic-Investigation

Rabiu Omaku

Fresh facts have emerged that the visitor to Isa Mustapha Agwai l Polytechnic, formerly known as  (NASPOLY), Lafia, Governor Abdullahi Sule has directed the Governing Council under the able Chairman, His Royal Highness, Muhammed Sani Bako lll, the Emir of Karshi to advertise the positions of Rector and Registrar.

A reliable source from the institution however revealed that the incompetence exhibited by the acting Rector, Ruth Jiriko may not be unconnected to the decision of the visitor to reshape the institution in search of qualified headship.

The appointment of the Rector on Acting capacity generated a lot of heat ranging from senior lecturers and pioneer lecturers that started working with the institution from the inception of the school.

The Acting Rector it was learned is running helter-skelter to have a soft landing as the new law of IMAPOLY spelled out in part V that an applicant would only be qualified if his or her courses of any related discipline were taught at the National Diploma level of the Polytechnic.

The law which came into existence on 08/01/2019 read thou.

Part V of the New Law spelled out that appointment of Rector and other staff of the Polytechnic 21(1) There shall be a Rector of the Polytechnic who shall be appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the council who shall be a renowned academician with a minimum qualification of Masters Degree or Ph. D in Technical professional courses of any related discipline taught at the National Diploma level of the Polytechnic and fifteen years cognate experience and track record of performance and proven integrity.

Another key aspect was that the office of the Deputy Rector’s Administration and Academic is through the election, not appointment, Can Jiriko contained the situation by conducting a rancor free election ?.

A competent source said the female Rector has failed woefully in the cause of her duty reason been that few days after three months in office it was revealed that she summoned over eighty-six meetings of the management staff without any positive

impact, besides it, was gathered over N2m was released as an allowance for management meeting while N4m was the amount expended for Council meetings.

Insiders are appealing to the Governor to appoint amongst the qualified senior lecturers as Rector instead of bringing people outside the institution which they said they don’t know.

Pundits are appealing to the Governing Council Chairman to exhibit fairness this time around by making it easier for senior lecturers in the Polytechnic to occupy the exalted position.

It would be recalled that the Chairman Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic, Sylvester Namo attributed the exclusion of senior lecturers from Isa Mustapha Agwai l Polytechnic, Lafia for Rectorship contributed to the mass exodus of academic lecturers seeking for a better alternative in other places even after the Tertiary Education Trust Fund foot the bills of their further studies either at home on foreign sponsorship.

It is no longer news that lecturers mostly academic doctors who supposed to be an asset to the institution are seeking juicy positions outside the Polytechnic.

Feelers from IMAPOLY are of the view that the Acting Registrar, Muktar Wakeel who is on an acting capacity may have a helping hand as far as the Governing Council Chairman remained as the Chairman.

The trouble of Ruth Jiriko started as investigators who went as far as the University of Agriculture, Makurdi to trace her Curriculum Vitae to know whether she was from either Kaduna State Polytechnic or the University of Agriculture, Makurdi if she is from University of Agriculture, Makurdi, then she is not qualified to be Rector, going by the new law.

The team of investigators did not get the needed information due to the COVID-19 Pandemic that paralyzed activities worldwide.

The Acting Rector, Ruth Jiriko when contacted for questioning, declined comment and directed the Acting Registrar, Muktar Wakeel to brief Journalists but the Acting Registrar also declined comment in the presence of Jiriko.

Those in the Polytechnic who pleaded anonymity said Jiriko is not capable to step into the shoes of Ali Gabu who emerged as a covering Rector after the dismissal of the former Rector, Bursar, and Registrar respectively.

The Acting Rector, it was revealed at this hard times of COVID-19 instead of making savings.

Some of the staff of the Polytechnic pointed out that the Rector must answer some questions

In another development, Jiriko flouted the directive given by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control to use water and hand sanitizer as a preventive and precautionary measure in the school environment.

Our reporter during a visit discovered that even in the administrative head of the institution no sanitizer, water and soap are made available to either the staff or visitors as it was obtainable in other schools.

The Public Relations Officer of the Polytechnic confirmed the move for the placement of adverts for the two key positions of Rector and Registrar.

All effort to speak to the Chairman Governing Council, Muhammed Sani Bako lll claimed abortive as a text message sent to his cellphone was not responded.

“Your Royal Highness, aslm, sir I learned that you were directed to place advert for the positions of Rector and Registrar (2) when are we expecting the election of Acting Rector (s) Academic and Admin, your comment is very important, Have a blissful weekend sir,”

It could be recalled that the Chairman Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic, Sylvester Namo in an interview with selected Journalists said the paramount ruler and Chairman Governing Council pleaded with the union over the previous appointments and approval of some positions which he said due process was not followed.

Namo pleaded with Governor Sule to consider the hard work and commitment of some of the senior lecturers in the institution, saying the selection of Rector from the Polytechnic would spur others to put in their best in the discharge of their duties

“That is why we are experiencing the mass exodus of lecturers from IMAPOLY  seeking for greener pasture in other schools that are doing better in times of welfare and promotion of staff”.

See the list of lecturers that roses to the positions of Heads of Departments, while some went for further studies with sponsorship from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund to, became academic doctors but seek employment outside the institution that bred them up.

The mass movement of academic doctors and another category of lecturers to seek places with a good working atmosphere and prompt promotion but not an institution with a stunted history of staff promotion said a staff who pleaded anonymity.

SEE NAMES OF LECTURERS THAT LEFT IMAPOLY DUE TO HARSH CONDITION OF SERVICE

1.Dr. Patrick N. Okolo Mathematics Department

2.Dr. Dalhatu Musa Yushau Public Administration

3.Dr. Yusuf Samson, Science Laboratory Technology

4.Dr. Musa Suleiman Library and  Information Technology

5.Dr. Stephen Sunday Ojo Social  Development

6.Dr. Dibei Godfrey French  and

Languages

7.Dr. Chaaka G

Mass Communication Department

8.Mrs. Maryam Ladi Isa Business Administration

9.Mr. Crescent Odo Computer Science

10.Retired

Mal Ibrahim, Islamic Studies, IJMB unit

11.Mr. Aboki IJMB

12.Mr. TPL Daniel Barau of Urban and Regional Planning

13.Late Mr. Benjamin Kudu Mass Communication Department

14.Mr. John Burdu, Mathematics Department

15.Mr. Ishowa T of English and Languages Departments.