A group under the auspices of Nasarawa Development Foundation has described the concerns raised by some staff of the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa, over the shortlisting of Dr. Hauwa Mohammed for the substantive Rector position of the institution as baseless and hypocritical.
Mr Idris Musa Audi, stated this while addressing newsmen on behalf of the group on Tuesday in Keffi, Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
The rejoinder was titled: “A response to the stakeholders’ concerns” with a sub title “He who lives in a glass house should not throw stones or hide or throw stones at others.”
According to Audi, the recent statements by one Dr. Abdullahi Baba Makama and Dr. Halidu Ahmed Umar of the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa published recently on Education Monitor News expressing concerns about the shortlisting of Dr. Hauwa T. Muhammad for the substantive Rector position are both misguided and baseless.
He added that their claims about Dr. Muhammad’s discipline being irrelevant to the Polytechnic Sector are unfounded…
Furthermore, he recalled that ” Rector of the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa came in as Rector while their areas of discipline were not available in the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa”;. And that even Khalid came in with a Degree in Economics…..
He noted that English language is a fundamental subject that is taught in all polytechnics, adding that it was essential for effective communications and academic success.
“They have forgotten that when Dr. Abdul Bulama became Rector of the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa, there was no Science Laboratory Technology Department.
Similarly, when Dr Salami became Rector, there was no Banking and Finance Department and when Dr Bugagi became Rector of the institution, there was no Chemical Engineering Technology Department.
” Also, the immediate past Rector of the Federal Polytechnic Idah and Yaba Tech all read English. Therefore, the role of a Rector involves overseeing the entire institution, not just a specific department,” he said.
He insisted that the stakeholders’ concerns about Dr. Muhammad’s candidacy are baseless and hypocritical and their own transgressions and double standards undermine their credibility.
“It is imperative for the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, and the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Professor Idris Bugaje, to support the Governing Council of the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa and disregard the unfounded allegations.
He also emphaised the need for ethe Minister and the Executive Secretary of NBTE to focus on selecting a qualified and capable Rector who can lead the institution to greater heights.
