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A Disaster of Meritocracy: Unmasking the Corruption at Federal Polytechnic, Ukana
Instructional establishments are the pillars of nationwide growth, tasked with fostering expertise and innovation that gasoline progress. When these establishments stray from rules of advantage, competence, and integrity, the results resonate throughout your entire nation. The appointment scandal at Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, Akwa Ibom State, is an alarming instance of how political interference and favoritism can undermine an establishment’s core mission. The manipulation surrounding the choice of a brand new rector not solely threatens the establishment’s credibility but in addition reveals a poisonous tradition of favoritism, one which will jeopardize the way forward for technical training in Nigeria.
On the middle of this scandal lies a obvious injustice: the blatant sidelining of Dr. Stephen Makoji Robert, essentially the most certified candidate for the rector place. Regardless of incomes the very best rating within the interview (79%) and boasting stellar educational credentials—together with a PhD in Enterprise and Administration from the College of Salford, UK—Dr. Robert was neglected in favor of a candidate with lesser {qualifications}. The appointed candidate, Mrs. Eduma Enubong Essien, possesses solely a grasp’s diploma, falling wanting the legally mandated {qualifications} for the function of rector. Allegedly, Mrs. Essien’s political backing from Senate President Godswill Akpabio performed a pivotal function in her choice, sidelining Dr. Robert, who lacks such connections however has the {qualifications} and functionality that the place calls for.
This manipulation of the appointment course of undermines not solely Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, however your entire Nigerian academic system. The deliberate alteration of the interview and screening scores, favoring Mrs. Essien regardless of her decrease rating of 67%, exemplifies a gross breach of due course of and accountability. Sources point out that the unique interview outcomes, exhibiting Dr. Robert’s prime rating, had been altered earlier than reaching the minister. Regardless of these irregularities being formally reported, no motion has been taken to rectify the state of affairs. Such unchecked favoritism suggests that private alliances and political connections now outweigh advantage, setting a harmful precedent that erodes belief in Nigeria’s greater training sector.
Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, has confronted challenges since its institution in 2014, with growth lagging far behind expectations and a scholar inhabitants of fewer than 400. Many attribute these struggles to the repeated appointment of unqualified leaders, who lack the imaginative and prescient and experience to drive the establishment ahead. The latest controversy underscores the pressing want for a complete overhaul in the best way management appointments are dealt with in Nigerian academic establishments.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive for a overview of the rector’s appointment represents a step towards addressing these irregularities. Nevertheless, to revive true integrity to Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, fast motion have to be taken to annul the appointment of Mrs. Essien and be certain that the function is crammed by a professional, competent candidate like Dr. Robert. Upholding {qualifications} and competence in management appointments isn’t merely a authorized formality; it’s the bedrock of meritocracy. If these values usually are not protected, the credibility of Nigeria’s total training sector is in danger.
The appointment of leaders in federal establishments should adhere to the authorized framework, which clearly stipulates {that a} rector should maintain a PhD in a related discipline. By contemplating underqualified candidates, the choice committee has compromised the establishment’s mission, inserting political expediency above the purpose of academic excellence. This brazen disregard for advantage contradicts the federal government’s imaginative and prescient for a revitalized academic system, posing a direct problem to President Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda.
For Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, to satisfy its potential, the Nigerian authorities should stand firmly towards this violation of due course of. It should reconstitute the establishment’s Governing Council and implement a clear, merit-based choice course of that prioritizes {qualifications} and competence. Failure to handle this difficulty won’t solely erode public confidence within the academic system however will even ship a harmful sign that unqualified candidates can assume management positions in crucial establishments by way of political patronage.
This scandal isn’t an remoted incident; it’s a wake-up name. The Nigerian authorities should acknowledge that its academic establishments are affected by a disaster of credibility that solely decisive, clear motion can treatment. As stakeholders look on, the actions taken at Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, will both sign a dedication to upholding advantage or additional entrench a tradition of favoritism that threatens the standard of training nationwide.
If Nigeria’s academic establishments are to function beacons of excellence, competence should come earlier than connections, and {qualifications} should outweigh affiliations. Something much less dangers undermining the very basis of our academic sector, diminishing its capability to provide expert graduates who can drive the nation ahead. Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, deserves competent, certified management—and the time for motion is now.
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