The Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic, Lafia Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has alleged that the embezzlement of TETfund monies by the former management of the institution prevented it from accessing further support.
Sylvester Aku, Chairman of the union, who stated this while briefing newsmen on Wednesday, in Lafia, stressed that the activities of the former management denied the institution further access to TETfund grants, thereby preventing rapid infrastructural and human capital development in the institution.
“Some of our colleagues, who have gone for further studies under TETfund sponsorship, are currently stranded in the United Kingdom and other places, due to lack of funds.
“TETfund has also placed an embargo on sponsoring further projects in the institution due to the embezzlement of monies for projects in the past,” the chairman said.
Mr Aku used the medium to commend the state governor, Abdullahi Sule, for his efforts towards the upliftment of the institution, especially by appointing the management of the institution recently, based on merit, for the first time since the institution was established in 2000.
He also lauded the governor for fencing the polytechnic and for his prompt visit to the institution, to assess the level of damage after the March 11 students’ unrest.
The union chairman, however, called on the governor to ensure full implementation of the whitepaper of a committee that investigated the activities of the former management of the institution.
He said that only the full implementation of the white paper would enable the institution access TETfund’s support again.
Mr Aku equally urged the governor to implement four years outstanding promotion of their members, to avoid industrial action, in addition to employing more academic staff to address manpower shortages in all departments, due to lack of employment for over 10 years.
The state government, during the administration of the immediate past governor, constituted a panel to investigate the activities of the former management of the institution and had since Jan.2019 submitted its report.
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