SSANIP Seeks Release Of N15b Revitalisation Fund  

The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) yesterday appealed to the government to fast-track the release of the 15 billion naira approved needs assessment and revitalisation fund without further delay.

In a communique jointly signed by its national president, Adebanjo Ogunsipe and Emmanuel Enyiegor, the national secretary at the end of the 69th General Executive Council (GEC) meeting in Abuja, SSANIP expressed worry over the delay despite federal government approval.

SSANIP also applauded the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) over its currency redesign policy but cautioned the governor of the apex bank to thread gently on other associated issues particularly, the issue of a review of the daily cash withdrawal limits.

The council equally expressed its worry at the continued non signing of the bill seeking to abrogate the dichotomy between the university first degree and the Higher National Diploma (HND) issued by polytechnics and charged all relevant authorities to endeavor to do the needful and ensure that this bill is signed into law in the shortest possible time by the current administration.

Among other demands, the communique reads in parts, “Council-in-session resolved to again, appeal to the office of the HoS to ensure that the much-awaited new scheme and condition of service document is released in good time as the subsisting document is no longer relevant with the reality on ground.

Council noted the several calls on appropriate authorities on the need to establish a Polytechnic Commission to be charged with the regulatory responsibilities over Polytechnics in the country, as is obtainable in the Universities, Colleges of Education, etc. It therefore, resolved to continue to sensitise the Government on the need to give attention to this call in the best interest of the development of Polytechnic education sub-sector”.

Council noted the unfortunate situation where pension deductions by employers in state Polytechnics had been persistently unremitted. It equally noted that in spite of the known fact that the deducted Union dues remained parts of members’ salaries, the Council-in-Session deliberated on the cases of non-remittance of deducted Union check-off dues by some State Polytechnic Managements. It thus frowned at this development and warned the Managements of concerned institutions that the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Union would be compelled to officially report to the NBTE with a view to bringing necessary sanctions on such institution in the event of its persistence.