NAPS PRE-CONVENTION (ADAMAWA 2017)

Being The Communique Issued By National Association of Polytechnic Students NAPS After The 37th Senate Meeting/Pre-Convention At Adamawa State Polytechnic Yola on 13th May, 2017.

Preamble:

National Association of Polytechnic Students  is the umbrella body for all Polytechnics, Mono-technics, Colleges of Technology, Colleges of Education and all other Allied Institutions awarding National and higher national diploma across the six geo-political zones of the federation and diaspora.  This association which is the second largest students movement in the  African continent, with the conglomeration of all SUG presidents as senators, forming the Senate Assembly with over 21.1 million armless battalion Nigerian students membership strength, (NAPS) has been in the vanguard of campaign for equity, justice and good governance, free and qualitative education for over two decades. The contribution of our noble Association in bringing about our nascent democracy cannot be over emphasized. NAPS is an affiliate of the International Students’ Union (ISU), All African Students’ Union (AASU), West African Students Union (WASU), West Africa Polytechnic Students Union (WAPSU), National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and has a Consultative working relationship with UNESCO, UNICEF and ECOWAS.

The Senate meeting was well attended by students’ union presidents of various institutions under NAPS and stakeholders.
The sitting was presided over by the National President of the senate, Comr. Jeremiah Friday Ohamah, with the Attendance of Comr. Seriki Ibrahim, the National Vice President National Affairs and Comr. Olugbode Damola, the National Public Relation Officer, representing the Executive Council. After extensive deliberation, the senate resolved thus:

STATE OF THE NATION

NAPS Senate pledged support to The Federal Government under the Acting President Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, and prayed for President Muhammadu Buhari’s Full recovery and quick return from Medical Vacation.

The senate commended the recent effort of Federal House of Representative on the Bill seeking complete abolishment of HND/BSC Dichotomy, also called for speedy passage of the bill.

The Senate applauded Col. Hammid Ali led Nigeria Custom Service (NCS) and Kano State Government for implementation of Dichotomy removal as resolved by the National Council On Establishment, while calling on federal government and States Government to enforce Immediate compliance and implementation  by all MDAs.

The Senate Commended the Commitment of the 8th National Assembly under the Chairmanship of Sen. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, The Senate President Federal Republic of Nigeria, for the public declaration of National Assembly Budget for the first time in 8 years, his commitment to Youth, Education and National Development, the Senate therefore Passed Vote of Confidence on his leadership. NAPS admonished the Senate President to use his good office to engineer speedy consideration and passage of the Same Bill Seeking Complete Abolishment of the Dichotomy between the two Certificates.
 
STATE OF THE CAMPUS

NAPS Senate congratulates all Federal Polytechnics on the appointment of Governing Council. It also charged the council chairmen and members for collaborative spirit with management to fast-tract the realization of polytechnic goals.

NAPS congratulates the Management, Staff and Students of Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa for the successful hosting of the 19th Edition of Nigeria Polytechnic Games (NIPOGA) Taged: NASARAWA 2017, in the same vain felicitate with the Winner of the Game ‘Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, Lagos State’.

NAPS Senate expressed concern on the continuous use of acting Rector in Federal Polytechnic Damaturu, Yobe state for four years running (since 2013 to date) and demand that Hon Minister of Education Act, with immediate effect so as to improve the welfare and living standard of the students whose plight is nothing to write home about considering the restricted powers of ‘Acting Rector’.

The Senate Called for internal mechanism to resolve the impulse between the Students’ Union Government and the Management of Ken Saro-wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, Rivers State, with the suspension of the Incumbent SUG president and resultant Legal Battle, the Senate Sets 5 Man Committee chaired by Amb. S A Lukman, the Immediate Past Senate President of NAPS to see to the matter.

NAPS Senate called on the Management of Kwara State polytechnic, Ilorin to act fast on the reconsideration of  the suspended immediate past SUG welfare Director who is due for NYSC mobilization, as such act will re affirm the confidence of the Association on the integrity of Rector as a man who possesses the capacity and will to fulfil promises made.

The Senate Called on Management and ASUP of Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna and Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu to consider their positions on the ongoing Strike actions which has kept students off academic activities for over 4 weeks, it set 5 Man Intervention Committee each to mediate on behalf of NAPS.

The Senate also commended the newly appointed acting rector of Auchi Polytechnic for resolving the crisis he inherited and tasked him to take the Polytechnic to the next level.

STATE OF NAPS

The executive council of NAPS represented by Comr. Seriki Ibrahim Olawale, NAPS Vice President National Affairs from Federal polytechnic Offa, Kwara state gave the secretariat report to the senate.

Yaba College of Technology, Lagos State, Jigawa State Polytechnic, Dutse, Jigawa State and Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State was suggested as NAPS 2017 National convention Venue, after hot debate, NAPS senate entrusted Convention Planning Committee with term of reference to liaise with all stakeholders, authorities and other necessary quarters to secure a befitting state among the above listed for the 2017 National Convention.

The Senate, haven considered the forth coming Ramadan Fasting within May and June, with democratic practice of physical and voice voting process, adopted 7th-9th of July, 2017 for National Convention.

LIST OF CONVENTION PLANING COMMITTEE as Adopted by the NAPS Senate.

COMR. TIJANNI MUSTAPHA – CHAIRMAN
COMR. OGBONAYA SUNDAY – SECRETARY
COMR. OLALERE BENEDICT – MEMBER
COMR. SIMON SEYI SAWYER – MEMBER
AMB. SALAHUDEEN A LUKMAN – MEMBER
COMR. FAWALE OLUWOLE JACOB - MEMBER
COMR. ARMSTRONG OVIE AFABOR – MEMBER
COMR. LIBERTY ISSAC NWAGU – MEMBER
COMR. MUHAMMED SAKIS – MEMBER
COMR. GABRIEL ABELA – MEMBER
COMR. UKAZA HAMZA RHAMAN – MEMBER
COMR. IBRAHIM SULEIMAN – MEMBER
COMR. ABDULRAHMAN AGBOOLA – MEMBER
COMR. SERAYETUNDE OGUNNOWO
COMR. AKARA OSARO CALEB

THE TERMS OF REFERENCE ARE AS FOLLOWS:

To work on the senate suggested venue and approved date for the national convention.
To ensure free, fair and credible election to usher in new leadership.
To ensure proper screening of all aspirants, particularly the studentship authenticity.

AOB
NAPS Senate Assembly applauded the senate president of NAPS, Comr. Jeremiah Friday Ohomah for good representation, sense of coordination and pro activeness
The senate saluted in appreciation, the Adamawa State Government and commended His excellency Sen. Muhammadu Umaru Jibrilla Bindow,  (The Sardauna Mubi) for his impressive performance in office thus far, all security Agencies with a stress on Department State Service (DSS) Yola Command and The Management of Adamawa State Polytechnic, Yola, also National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Council of Heads of Polytechnic and Colleges of Technology (COHEADS) in anticipation for the usual support for smooth transition.

ADJOURNMENT

The senate adjourned till 7th to 9th July, 2017 at a later to be communicated venue by CPC for the National Convention.

Signed.

Amb. S A Lukman #AIG
Communiqué Drafting Committee Chairman

Comr. Akara Osaro Caleb
Communique Drafting Committee Secretary

Comr. Jeremiah Friday Ohamah
NAPS Senate President

Cc: NPF, DSS, CIA, NSCDC, FME, NBTE, COHEADS, RECTORS, PROVOSTS, SUG PRESIDENTS.

NIGERIA POLYTECHNIC GAMES – POSITIVE DIRECTION FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION IN NIGERIA POLYTECHNICS (By; AbdulRahman Agboola)

The design of polytechnic education in Nigeria was basically intended to provide middle level manpower to support economic growth, in reality, the target has been met over the years as the polytechnics in their numbers still provides leeway for exhibition of practical knowledge in industries and other sectors of the economy in line with the design. To be regarded as a professional in a field, one must possess deep knowledge, high degree of training and skill in the practice of the discipline, comparatively; some disciplines are more professional than others.

If professionalism is viewed from the angle of occupation and paid jobs, it could be assumed that all formally educated citizens should be dutifully engaged, but in actual fact, not all disciplines could be accommodated in high numbers in the economy, a situation that challenges unemployed graduates or other certificate holders towards diversification of knowledge to optimally perform required functions outside classroom knowledge acquired.

The degree or diploma certificates have become stepping stones to get employments but job details oftentimes varies with the certificates, thereby mandating specialized trainings and counseling by an employer in some cases, going by limited spaces available in specific professions, which is mostly attributive to high unemployment rate in Nigeria. There are divergent opinions on the provision of high level manpower by polytechnics weighing the curriculum of Higher National Diploma with University degree in related disciplines, where many placed HND Certificates on the same pedestal with Degree Certificates, other hold different views.

The inclusion of entrepreneurship training as a core teaching in polytechnics for the purpose of tilting the mentality of polytechnic products towards enterprise and job independence, in the bid to control the search for white collar jobs has not yielded deserving results as the entrepreneurship education is being mismanaged with poor course modules and absence of seriousness in the training. Major emphasis are placed on tailoring, soap making, block making and other menial enterprise being taught at peripheral, thereby creating ambivalence in the teachings of entrepreneurship education in polytechnics.

The 19th Edition of Nigeria Polytechnic Games from 27th to 6th May 2017 in Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa is an eye opener to urgent demand for consideration of sports as entrepreneur in polytechnics. Over forty polytechnics participated in sporting events like Tennis, Football, Volleyball, Basketball, Handball, Judo, Taekwondo, Chess, Scrabble and athletics with more than two thousand participants.

The events are admixtures of professionalism and amateurish displays among contingents, though allegations of mercenaries wasn’t prominent but performance of different institutions in events rates some institutions as parading quality and well trained players than others. Sporting events are majorly categorized under extracurricular activities but considering the enterprise endeavours inherent in sports and the possibility of creating accomplished players capable of creating niche for themselves in sports as students; sports should be considered under entrepreneurship education in polytechnics.

The opening ceremony of the NIPOGA was graced by a retired footballer and football coach of international repute – Samson Siasia among other notable sports enthusiasts that graced the occasion as facilitated by a NIPOGA promoter Hajia Aishat Audu – Emeje of A3 Foundation. The President of NIPOGA – Professor Shettima AbdulKadir Saidu who is the Rector of Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa provided standard equipment for the events and the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee – Dr Yahaya Baba Usman ensured the smooth coordination of the events with the National Organizing Committee in a manner that showed qualitative events capable of encouraging participants to improve in choosing games.

In Polytechnics, sport has maintained the status of extracurricular at the expense of entrepreneur capable of producing professionals’ sportsmen and sportswomen in polytechnics, many among previous participants that showed distinct qualities as players at NIPIOGA didn’t gain national prominence through their participation in NIPOGA and the trend must be appraised to encourage more productive and pragmatic participations of students in sports at different levels.

Scouters searching for talents in different games were sighted at different events in the 19th Edition of NIPOGA at Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa, especially John Fashanu and host of others that monitored the football events with rapt attention, other events witnessed representatives of National bodies or federations governing sporting activities in Nigeria. It is incumbent on Rectors and Sport Coaches in polytechnics to design means of encouraging polytechnic students to develop interest and actively participate in sports as players to create credible enterprise under the concept of entrepreneurship education.

Considering the lukewarm attitudes of government and sports developers in Nigeria to sports developments, the transformation of sports from extracurricular to entrepreneur in polytechnics must be considered with apprehension but with conscientious planning and implementations, hope is at sight for the achievement of this lofty idea. The energy, enthusiasm and spirit of sportsmanship showcased by participants clearly create a roadmap for proper study of sports as worthy enterprise to complement other professional trainings being acquired by students that yearns for job security after graduation.

In Nasarawa 2017, the youthful ages of participants with high numbers of teens have the tendencies of producing worthy talents capable of adding to the glory of Nigeria in sporting activities locally, nationally and internationally. In previous eras, secondary school sports produced raw talents that eventually became successful in sports globally and a critical study of this reference is capable of creating opportunities for polytechnic students in this order, which implies that the technical committees, rectors and other interested stakeholders must take proper review of the events with the target to improve on future preparations in line with this new demands.

Dossiers of participants that wins medals or with brilliant displays must be compiled for record purpose and onward transmissions to independent governing bodies which can lead to invitations of players for trials at other events, to expose them to real professionalism and proper encouragements. To complement this onerous task, proper media engagements must be fashioned to sharpen perception on NIPOGA by the general public and probably gain required funding to cushion the effects of poor funding of NIPOGA by government.

The 19th Edition of Nigeria Polytechnic Games ought to have taken place over nine months ago due to deficiency of funding; it took exceptional task of the host institution rector to outsource for means of providing requirements for hosting of the events and the waiting has really worth it with the beautiful hosting of the events that has now gained more national recognition and prominence in the public fore due to excellent host and media attention. NIPOGA must be advanced in such manner capable of attesting to the hallmark of polytechnic products as people with adequate technical knowledge, which has been serving developmental purpose and growth of Nigeria since the pre-independence era.

The platform for detecting sport talents among polytechnic students should be well established through the NIPOGA with the mandate to create enabling opportunities for them to be properly trained and equipped with required skills to compete with peers and contemporaries elsewhere as obtained in well-coordinated climes. The handling of Polytechnic Games should be redesigned to envisage reliable treat of emerging challenges; the games should shift from fiesta to opportunities drive for participants to hit stardom through sports as an enterprise.

Comrade AbdulRahman Agboola
Vice Chairman, Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics – SSANIP
Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa Chapter.