Association urges FG on polytechnics scheme of service review

The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) has urged the Federal Government and other relevant authorities to accelerate work on the review of the scheme of service in the country’s polytechnics.

The National President of the association, Mr Philip Ogunsipe made the call at its South-West Zonal meeting held at the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Ikorodu, Lagos on Tuesday.

Ogunsipe said that a scheme of service prepared by the Federal Ministry of Education came into effect in 1989.

“Over time, it became obsolete and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) constituted a committee to review it.

“The report of committee work was forwarded to the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation and their comments were obtained, and in 2013, a reviewed scheme of service came into effect in the polytechnic system.

“The need to review the scheme of service came up again due to some very serious grey areas and omissions contained therein.

“The entire polytechnic system is awaiting the release of the scheme of service by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation,” he said.

Ogunsipe also appealed to NBTE, Federal Ministry of Education and the Office of the Head of Service to involve all stakeholders with a view to accommodating their inputs before releasing the final copy.

On other matters, he said, “The union frowns at the inadequacy and delays in the release of overhead cost to federal and most state polytechnics and colleges of technology.

“This identified shortcoming has the potential of impairing the day-to-day administration of the affected institutions.

“We are also saddened by the plethora of challenges faced by the state-owned polytechnics and others across country.

“While we are not oblivious of the fact that education is on the concurrent list, we strongly believe that the Federal Government owes it a duty to enforce minimum standard”.

The national president said that the association’s constant show of understanding and mature approach to issues had not been reciprocated by the government at all levels.

“This is evident in the manner and attitude of government to the demands of the union over time. While we continue to be law abiding, we will not hesitate to put in all that it takes to press home our demands,” Ogunsipe said.

Also, Mr Seye Ero-Phillips, SSANIP Chairman, LASPOTECH branch, called on the management to do something about the continued erosion of the jobs of his colleagues, such as directorship of legal services and ICT, which were potential industrial relation problems.

Ero-Phillips said that the positions were career progression for various cadres of his colleagues such as legal officers and data analysts, rather than being reward for perceived loyalists of successive managements.