The House of Representatives Committee on Polytechnics and Other Higher Technical Education has moved to sanction the management of five federal polytechnics for failing to honour its invitation.
Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Fuad Laguda disclosed this at the planned meeting of the Committee on Wednesday.
The five polytechnics include Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Imo State; Federal Polytechnic Ohodo, Enugu State; Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State; Federal Polytechnic Akanu Ibiam, Ebonyi State and the Federal Polytechnic Isouchi, Abia State.
He said, “This is the first time that we are having such regrettable action from any Polytechnic in Nigeria. We’ve over-covered schools both physically and we’ve also visited National Assemblies, North West, South West, North Central, and North East.
“It’s surprising that schools from the South East bluntly refused to honour the invite of the National Assembly. The only school that came here today, after we had waited for an hour and a half. The meeting was called for 12 O’clock.
“The rector of the Federal Polytechnic in Abia State strolled in singlehandedly without any document whatsoever saying that he was coming for a meeting with us. We assure these Polytechnics that, relevant laws empowered on us would be imposed on them in due course”.
Sections 89 and 129 empower the National Assembly to “Investigate, procure evidence; require the evidence to be given on oath; summon anyone to give evidence or produce documents; and issue a warrant to compel the attendance of any such witness”.
The Committee had last week met with some Federal Polytechnics which the Committee cannot visit due to security reasons.
The Federal Polytechnics were; Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, Federal Polytechnic Kaltungo, Gombe State; Federal Polytechnic Kauran Namoda; Federal Polytechnic Bali Taraba State.
