BY BRIGHT JACOB
The National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the sacking of rectors of five federal polytechnics over their lack of qualification for the position. The court also restrained the sacked rectors from applying for the same position in the future.
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics had in July 2021 dragged the Federal Ministry of Education to court following the appointment of five “unqualified rectors” for polytechnics newly established by the Federal Government.
The National President of ASUP, Anderson Ezeibe, who berated the Federal Government over the appointment, noted that for anyone to be qualified to be a rector, such a person must be a Chief Lecturer with a minimum of five years in any of the polytechnics. The government in 2021 announced the creation of new federal polytechnics in Cross River, Oyo, Plateau, Benue and Borno States.
The federal polytechnics Amendment Act 2019 stipulates that to be qualified for appointment as a rector in any of the polytechnics in Nigeria, such a person shall be a Chief Lecturer and must have not less than five years’ experience in any Nigerian polytechnic.
The ASUP president had said the rectors appointed fell short of the qualifications stated in the polytechnics act. In the certified true copy of the court judgement made available to journalists at the weekend, Justice Obaseki Osaghae ruled that the appointment of the five rectors namely Dr. Terlumun Utser of the Federal Polytechnic, Wannune; Prof. Edwin Onyeneje of the Federal Polytechnic, Ohodo; Prof. Edward Okey of the Federal Polytechnic, Ugep; Dr. Zakari Ya’u of the Federal Polytechnic, Shendam; and Prof. Garba Ngala of the Federal Polytechnic, Mungonu were not made in accordance with the law.
