The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) have called on the federal government to withdraw the new guidelines for the appointments of Principal Officers of Polytechnics in Nigeria, saying that the guidelines clearly contravene subsisting schemes of service in polytechnic.

The association in a statement signed by its National President, Comrade Philip Adebanjo Ogunsipe, lamented that the Federal Ministry of Education, which is the supervisory body for harmonizing Polytechnic schemes of service in order to ensure quality assurance has now become a clog in the wheels of development of Polytechnics in Nigeria.

Ogunsipe noted with dismay that the government, through its agencies has been grossly responsible for systemic failure in the education sector, causing persistent industrial disputes in tertiary institutions.

SSANIP, therefore, appealed to the ministry of education to withdraw the “contentious guidelines” for the appointments of Principal Officers of Polytechnics in Nigeria forth with.

The association recalls with regret that the ministry had earlier admitted, at a meeting with it “that the supervisory body of Polytechnics, the National Board For Technical Education, (NBTE) is in better position to handle the matter only for it (ministry of education) to “proceed with this anomaly”.

In similar vein, the association called on the Head of Service of the Federation to release speedily, the schemes and conditions of service for Polytechnics and allied institutions without further delay.

The union added that such actions, if taken immediately, would go a long way in harmonizing conflicting guidelines.

Ogunsipe reminds the federal government to recall agreements reached at a meeting with the government wherein it was resolved that N15b, though inadequate, should be released to the sector with a plea that the agreement should be honored by the federal government.

SSANIP further implore the federal ministry of education and other authorities concerned to be attentive to its calls and plights as a way of averting another industrial dispute in the education sector. (Sunday Vanguard)

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