Plateau Absorbs 700 Ad-hoc Staff Of Tertiary Schools

Plateau State government has absorbed long-serving ad-hoc staff in its tertiary institutions, ending years of uncertainty for the affected workers.

While addressing the workers at the New Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos, Governor Caleb Mutfwang recalled the irregularities his administration uncovered upon assumption of office.

“When we came into office, we discovered that some last-minute recruitments had excluded the ad-hoc staff who had sustained these institutions for years. We felt it was immoral, ungodly and unjust. That is why we decided to suspend the entire exercise,” he said.

Many of the absorbed workers had served for decades on N6,000 and N15,000 stipends.

Moved by their plight, Governor Mutfwang ordered a transparent and merit-driven review of the process, reinforcing his administration’s commitment to justice and fairness.

“Every Plateau person who is qualified and meets the criteria deserves an opportunity. No one should be left behind,” he said.

The governor outlined systematic steps taken to ensure integrity in the recruitment process: suspension of compromised exercises, constitution of independent governing councils to verify records, establishment of a public Help Desk at the Ministry of Education for complaints and appeals and adherence to strict merit-based appointment procedures.

“We wanted to ensure that our institutions have the right personnel to train the kind of students we want to see in the future,” he added.

Beyond rectifying past injustices, Governor Mutfwang announced long-term human capital development initiatives.

“Those of you with Master’s degrees who wish to pursue PhDs will receive government support. This is about building a workforce that can compete nationally and produce world-class graduates,” he said.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Green Gen Movement, Mr Josiah Sati Yalwat, alongside representatives of the special adviser on youths, institutional heads and other stakeholders, described the governor as a leader who listens, shows compassion and acts decisively.

The commissioner for education, Prof. Kachollom Gang, described the governor as a compassionate and transformative leader, who, beyond confirming the appointment of the long-serving ad-hoc workers, has mandated a fresh recruitment drive in all tertiary schools.