ASUP urges NASS to expedite passage of polytechnic commission bill

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has called on the National Assembly to pass the National Polytechnic Commission (NPC) bill without further delays.

This appeal was made by ASUP Zonal Coordinator for Zone A, Comrade Abdulaziz Ibrahim Badaru, during a briefing at the ASUP Jigawa State Secretariat in Dutse, following the 110th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.

Comrade Badaru highlighted recent actions and developments by the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE), particularly the contentious provisions in the new scheme of service released on June 19, 2024.

He described these actions as evidence of NBTE’s failure to effectively manage the institutions under its purview.

He asserted that establishing a National Polytechnic Commission would address these issues, regulate the certification process of polytechnics, and resolve longstanding problems.

Badaru stressed that the NBTE lacks the capacity to manage the affairs of polytechnics effectively, leading to fundamental alterations in the status of tertiary education for polytechnics in Nigeria.

The union identified several provisions in the NBTE’s new scheme of service that exacerbate discrimination against holders of Higher National Diploma (HND) certificates, distort employee relativity within the polytechnic system, and unnecessarily increase institutional overheads.

In response to these issues, the ASUP Zone A Coordinator announced the retraction of an earlier decision to initiate an indefinite industrial action.

This decision followed the union’s NEC meeting on July 8, during which they resolved to issue a 15-day ultimatum to the federal government to address the contentious provisions in the NBTE’s new scheme of service.

Comrade Abdul’aziz Ibrahim Badaru noted that “earlier within the 15-day ultimatum given by our union, the leadership was invited to a tripartite meeting with the leadership of the NBTE and the Federal Ministry of Education on July 19, 2024.

During that meeting, we succeeded in having the implementation of the flawed document suspended and a review process initiated in line with our union’s demands.”

He explained further that “the review process is to be completed within one month from the day of the meeting. Subsequently, the NBTE issued a circular immediately suspending the contentious document.”

“Following this positive development, the ASUP convened an emergency meeting on July 22, 2024. After thorough deliberation, we resolved to suspend the planned industrial action for one month, recognising that our demands have been substantially met,” emphasised the Zonal Coordinator.

Badaru expressed appreciation for the steadfastness of their members in the face of this provocation, adding that they are grateful for the intervention and input given by various stakeholders, which facilitated the achieved results.

He also called on the executive governor of Niger State, Alhaji Mohammed Umar Bago, to urgently implement the 25% and 35% salary increments for their members in the state polytechnic and the immediate domestication of the Polytechnic Acts 2019, as amended, to foster productivity and industrial harmony between the union and the Niger State government.

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