Labour rejects appointment of Principal Officers in new Colleges of Education

Workers in Nigerian Colleges of Education under the auspices of Senior Staff Union in Colleges of Education, Nigeria (SSUCOEN), have written to the Federal Government to demanded the immediate “redress” in the appointment of Principal officers for six newly established colleges.

The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education, recently announced the appointment Provosts and other Principal Officers for the six new Federal Colleges of Education located at Iwo, Osun State; Gidan Madi, Sokoto State; Odugbo, Benue State; Jama’are, Bauchi State; Isu, Ebonyi State and Ekiadolor, Edo State.

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But SSUCOEN, an affiliate of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), in a letter dated April 13, signed by its President, Danladi Ali Msheliza and directed to the Minister of Education, a copy of which was obtained by Daily Trust, argued that 90% of those on the list of appointees, do not meet the requirements for appointment.

Msheliza said the Principal Officers in Colleges of Education, must have a background from the Education sub-sector as provided for in the approved Schemes and Conditions of Service (2015 Edition) for Colleges of Education in Nigeria.

He stressed that most of the appointees are either from the Core Civil Service, Private Sector or other sectors outside Colleges of Education System, which is contrary to the provisions for the requirements for the appointment of Principal Officers in Colleges of Education, as contained in the Revised Conditions of Service for Colleges of Education (2015 Edition), and the Act establishing Federal Colleges of Education.

“One could not help but wonder why the FME rushed to appoint Principal Officers for the six newly established Federal Colleges of Education, without recourse to the requirements for the appointment of such important positions, especially that Councils were on ground. Had the Council not been constituted, it would have been well understood,” Msheliza.

While describing the appointment as illegal and usurpation of the powers of Council, the union urged President Buhari and the Minister, Adamu Adamu, in the interest of industrial harmony and the avoidance of court injunctions, to immediately set aside the appointments of the other Provosts and Principal Officers.

He added, “Doing otherwise will amount to setting bad precedence, abuse of subsisting court judgement and serve as a disservice to Nigeria and the College of Education sector in particular”.