By JIDAUNA DARING
Joint Union of Plateau State Owned Tertiary Institutions (JUPTI) has observed with concern the politicisation, removal and appointment of Chief Executives of tertiary Institutions and outright cancellation of employment that was carried out in 2022 by the immediate past administration.
JUPTI Chairman, Comr. Sunoe Peter Longbaam, on behalf of the joint unions made these observations known while briefing journalists on the unions’ position at the NUJ Secretariat, Jos, the Plateau State capital.
Comrade Longbaam said it was in the light of the above that the JUPTI were compelled to call for press briefing to address, inform and educate people on the dangers and negative precedents the action of government will create in the nearest future.
JUPTI Chairman further explained that the institutions affected by removal and appointment of chief executives of tertiary Institutions include Plateau State University, Bokkos, Plateau State Polytechnic, Barkin- Ladi, College of Education Gindiri, College of Health Technology, Pankshin and College of Health Technology, Zawan.
Comrade Longbaam pointed out that all the positions of the affected heads were advertised, interviews were conducted and they were found appoint-able.
He added that their appointments were in accordance with the edicts and laws that established these institutions in the state.
“We wander which criteria were used to remove the head of the tertiary Institutions? The removal of these officers was not in line with the extant laws governing the Institutions. The union is shocked with the development especially, knowing fully well that not long, our dear governor was a beneficiary of law and justice.
JUPTI Chairman, maintained that this development is going to be a serious setback, particularly in their quest for a better educational system in the state. “We are really worried about the future of our tertiary education. This same government set up visitation panels for these Institutions, where are the reports?” he asked.
The unions condemned the action and demand that government should visit “its action for the sake of industrial harmony”.
Comrade Longbaam, while speaking on the cancellation of the employment offered in October 2022, said that the issue of employment was a product of agreement reached with government that led to the recruitment of staff in 2022. He added that the employment was to bridge the gap in manpower of the tertiary institutions.
“We wish to request that government should have a rethink and isolate candidates with questionable issues and reinstate the staff that were qualified, especially those cleared by successive committees in the interest of industrial harmony”.
JUPTI appeal to the members of the public and well-meaning Plateau people to intervene for this newly employed staff to be reinstated for the benefit of the students, the system and the progress of the state.
