The Federal Government Committee on renegotiation of the 2010 agreements with the Unions in the Polytechnic sector has commenced meetings with the various leaders of the Unions to ensure industrial Harmony and development.
The Unions include Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics ASUP, Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics SANU and Non-Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics.
The Chairman of the Federal Government Re-Negotiation Committee who is also the Chairman Governing Council of Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic Birnni Kebbi Alhaji Waziri Bulama said at the end of the renegotiation, a framework for the implementation of the agreements would be developed.
Alhaji Bulama said the committee is to review, recommend and agree on previous agreements and new demands submitted by the various Unions
‘’The federal Government is committed towards addressing the concerns of the unions in the Polytechnic sector, the committee has received submissions from these three unions in and they are extensively studied and examined, the committee is engaging the leadership of these Unions to arrive at an agreement acceptable to all parties’’, he said
Alhaji Bulama explained that some of the problems of the Unions are on infrastructure, staff issues, policy that needs reforms.
He stressed that for Polytechnic education to get the pride of place and receive the desired attention to play the role it ought to play in terms of providing skills for the productive sector to address the socio economic challenges facing the nation government and other stakeholders most play a role.
‘’The revitalisation of the Nigerian economy rest squarely on promotion of technical, vocational education and training, we are committed that this get the attention of all stakeholders’’. Alhaji Bulama noted
He appreciated the leadership of the various Unions for their patriotism towards drawing the attention of government and the Nigerian public towards the problem affecting the polytechnic sector
The National President of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Comrade Anderson Ezeibe said some of the key demands of the Union are repositioning technological education for national development in Nigeria, laws and status, supervision and regulation, funding for the sector, dichotomy between HND and degree holders and condition of service.
The President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics SANU Comrade Philip Adebanjo pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to sign into law the bill seeking to end the dichotomy between university degrees of Bachelors of Arts/Science, BA/BSc and the Higher National Diplomas, HNDs awarded by polytechnics.
Dominica Nwabufo
