Yakubu Busari
The National president of Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics, Comrade, Rev. Sunday Sabo has threatened to use the devils hammer if federal government failed to reach to an earlier agreement to address problem of polytechnic /university brawl in the country.
He gave this warning during the senior staff association of Nigeria polytechnics (SSANIP) 50 regular national executive general council meeting held at Joshua Dariye Hall of JOS campus.
Sabo decried the challenges of treasury single Account (TSA) as a major setback to the principle of education in the country were students union cannot listen to academic management in their demand for getting learning facilities .
He advised that polytechnic’s members had received threat to embark on another fresh strike if government tent to neglect their calls to implement the polytechnic/ university dichotomy.
According to him, SSANIP has issued out dialogue as the only option of conflict resolution through a proper implementation of policy to avoid constant issuance of strike notice by the union body.
Comrade Sabo pledged their support to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari but solicit his corporation towards implementation of the union welfare conditions of service.
“Our tertiary institutions in Nigeria have been relegated to the background so most of polytechnics don’t have functional library and training equipment” he added.
He called on federal, states government to train and retrain the staff for better, effective and productivity to provide their very best.
He appealed to branch members to corporate with their union leadership in order to discharge their duty effectively without fear or molestation.
The Rector, Plateau state polytechnic Barkin Ladi ,Mr Dauda Gyang Gyemang reiterated the need for union to dialogue with government towards peaceful resolution .
Gyemang advised the leadership of union Nigeria to see peace as a panacea for resolving conflict with the appropriate authority to avert unnecessary wastage and loss.
He noted that peace remain cardinal to the progress and development of every society most especially within academic environment like ours.
The state secretary of the branch, comrade Luke Pam condemned that the problem of polytechnic in Nigeria has to do with the management of the institutions.
“we shall not take anything short of our general pursue ,so we employ our members resist vehemently the idea of certificate differences implement by federal government”, he explained.
The polytechnic staff union vows to take devil to canvass for their destiny to seek for proper redress on lingering crisis ravaging their academic environment, Pam stressed.
Meanwhile, the Director of Research, Prof. John Wade restated government commitment in rebuilding deplorable stage of facilities in the state .
He said just as a government has begun, we remain committed to the released of funds for the accreditation and reaccreditation of courses in the various tertiary institutions.
Wade promised promoting industrial harmony, government has also directed all pending cases in courts due to perceived victimization of some staff in our tertiary institutions for their roles in various labour cases be withdrawn and issue settled administratively.
He assured of payment of all backlog of over 8 months salaries owned public servants.
The government also approved of 65 years old retirement age for all staff of tertiary institutions in the state, he added.
