The House of Representatives Committee on Polytechnics and Other Higher Technical Education has on Wednesday threatened to sanction five Federal Polytechnics over their refusal to honour its invitation to render their budget performances.
The Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Fuad Kayode Laguda warned that the Section 89 and 129 empowers 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”.
He gave the warning while speaking after the failed planned meeting of the Committee on Wednesday, lamenting that despite inviting the managements of the 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, they all failed to honour the invitation for the meeting slated for Wednesday, November 20, 2024.
Rep. Laguda maintained that the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges Act) explicitly provided that, “A Legislative House or Committee shall have power to summon any person in Nigeria to come and testify, give account, tender a document or any other record in evidence, in the possession or under control of that person as provided in the First Schedule to this Act.
“This is the first time that we are having such regrettably action from any Polytechnic in Nigeria. We’ve overtime covered schools both physically and we’ve also visited National Assemblies, North West, South West, North Central, 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 waited for an hour and 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 he is coming for a meeting with us.
“We assure these Polytechnics that, relevant laws empowered on us would be imposed on them in due course” he said.
It could be recalled that, the Committee had visited some of the Federal Polytechnics and met others at the National Assembly due to some genuine reasons that prevented the Committee from visiting their campuses.
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.
It was also weeks ago met with the Rectors and management teams of Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa; Federal Polytechnic Shendam, Plateau State and have visited a host of others across the country as part of its oversight function.
