The  Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics has rejected the newly reconstituted governing councils of Federal Government-owned polytechnics.

In a statement signed by ASUP’s President, Shammah Kpanja, the union expressed “dismay” at the new list of appointees whom it tagged as individuals with “no knowledge” of the polytechnic system.

Kpanja said, “Having carefully studied the released list of new members, we want to express our dissatisfaction and disappointment with the composition for the Polytechnics.

“Our Union has been demanding that persons with the requisite knowledge of the workings of the sector be appointed. Such persons in the category of former Rectors and other Principal Officers from the sector, former chief executives and staff of the regulatory body, retired and serving Chief Lecturers, and other staff from the sector who have displayed adequate knowledge of the workings of the sector abound in sufficient numbers.

“The current composition falls significantly short of the above as no such person(s) in the categories listed was appointed. This is a great disservice to the Polytechnics and is also different from the experience in the two other sub-sectors that make up the tertiary education sector.”
The union noted that it was witnessed to the fact that former Executive Secretaries of regulatory bodies were appointed in the other sub-sectors but none was curiously found appointable for the Polytechnics.”

Speaking further, he said, “Former Principal Officers and retired and serving staff were appointed but none was found appointable for the Polytechnics despite the retinue of former Rectors, Chief Lecturers and other Principal Officers prevalent in Nigeria’s Polytechnic System.

“Our Union views this unwholesome trend as an extension of the age-long discrimination against Polytechnics in the country and an attempt to push the sector into crisis. The list for Polytechnics as released cannot improve the lot of the Polytechnics but rather turn them to playgrounds for businessmen.”

The House of Representatives Committee on Finance on Monday threatened to direct the Accountant General of the Federation to block the accounts of Federal Government agencies that fail to render accurate accounts of their revenue profile to the government.

This is just as the Director of Finance and Accounts with the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, Musa Jemaku faulted the claim by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation that they have not paid their operating surplus for three years (2019- 2021).

Jemaku’s anger stemmed from a claim by a representative of the Office of the Accountant General whose name could not be ascertained that the FRC had not remitted its operating surplus for 2019 (N126 million), 2020 (N143 million) and 2021 (N26) million to the federation’s coffers.

Speaking at the resumed revenue monitoring exercise of the committee on Monday, the Vice Chairman of the committee and member representing Bida/Gbako/Katcha Federal Constituency, Saidu Abdullahi frowned at the deliberate failure by some agencies to appear before the committee despite the invitation extended to them.

Abdullahi noted that out of eight agencies invited to appear before the Committee on Monday, only two (the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria and the National Health Insurance Authority) showed up.

The Lawmaker said while two others applied to be given another date, the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, National Broadcasting Commission, National Examination Council and National Inland Waterways Authority failed to either honour the invitation or communicate with the committee to give reasons for their absence.

He said, “We expected eight agencies to appear before the committee today, but only two agencies came, while two others wrote to request another date and they were granted.

“However, four others decided to abscond. That was the same word I used last year that did not go down well with some of the agencies. They have decided to play truancy on a very important assignment. If members can turn out in large numbers for this assignment, I don’t see any reason any agency will decide not to appear before the committee.

“Let me put on record that we hope to have these agencies appear before the committee. Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, National Broadcasting Commission, National Examination Council and National Inland Waterways Authority.”

He added, “We expect them to make an appearance by tomorrow, Tuesday. If they fail to appear before this committee, we may be forced to take appropriate action. We may write to the Office of the Accountant General to block their accounts.

“We will not take it lightly with any agency because this is an assignment that is very important to this country. We talk about revenue and if we cannot collect the revenue accruing to his country, I think there is a big problem.”

Jemaku who said that the agency paid about N800m to the government in 2024 also faulted the AGF’s claim that they have only paid about N602m into the government’s account.
He explained that there is a circular from the office of the Minister of Finance for the implementation of the Finance Act 2020, adding that the circular automated the process of paying the 50 per cent deduction.

“The AGF should be in a better position to answer the question of why the system could not deduct the correct 50 per cent for the period.

“On a lighter note, let me say that this is not the avenue for the AGF to draw our attention to the non-payment or operating surplus when there is no official communication from them to the agency”.

The United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority has written Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority stating Air Peace has reportedly violated some aviation safety regulations

The development came barely three months after the Nigerian carrier commenced the Lagos-London route.

Two mandatory occurrence reports on Air Peace had been reportedly sent to the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority.

The UK CAA, in turn, forwarded the complaints to the NCAA.

The CAA’s letter of complaint forwarded to NCAA was entitled; ‘United  Kingdom SAFA Ramp Inspection Report with reference number: CAA-UK, -2024-0217’ and ‘NATS Management System  Safety Report.’

The NCAA has also written to Air Peace to provide clarification on the issues.

The letter, with reference number: NCAA/DOLTS/APL/Vol.11/03624 was titled, “United Kingdom SAFA Ramp Inspection Report.

It was dated May 14, 2024, and signed by the NCAA General Manager of Operations, Capt. O.O. Lawani.

In the letter, the NCAA said the UK CAA had called its attention to the no operational approval of Electronic Flight Bag functions affecting the safe operation of the aircraft, while adding that the captain of the flight admitted that an Electronic Flight Bag was being used for navigational purposes.

NCAA further noted that the CAA stated in its letter that there was “no mounting device for the use of EFB, no charging points or battery for backup.”

Air Peace recently commenced operation to London Gatwick from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos under the Bilateral Air Services Agreement, which Nigeria has with the UK.

The spokesperson of Air Peace, Stanley Olisa, could not be reached as of press time.

When called, the spokesperson of the airline picked but when this reporter began to enquire about the development, he kept mute until the call ended.

Our correspondent also sent a text message of enquiry to the spokesman but there was no response as of the time of filing this report.