The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) on Friday called on state governments to make regular payment of staff development funds to polytechnics.

Alhaji Kabiru Yunusa, Chairman, Zone A of the Union, made the plea at ASUP’s quarterly executive meeting in Hadejia, Jigawa.

According to him, the funds are critical to training and retraining of members of staff to enhance their knowledge and skills for effective performance.

He said the irregular payment of the funds in most state-owned polytechnics in the zone could undermine academic activities, if something urgent was not done about it.

Yunusa, who teaches at the Waziri Umar Polytechnic, Birnin Kebbi, also urged state governments to recruit more qualified staff to fill vacancies in various polytechnics in the zone.

“The dearth of staff is alarming in polytechnics in this zone. There is an urgent need to recruit qualified staff to fill the vacancies, so that we can have sound graduates, who will become nation builders,” he said.

Also speaking, Alhaji Hassan Muhammad, ASUP Chairman, Bilyaminu Usman Polytechnic, Chapter, said Jigawa government had paid staff development funds up to 2017, expressing optimism that the balance of 2018 would be paid soon.

He commended the government for the prompt payment of the funds and the execution of other developmental projects in the institution.

Zone A comprises Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi and Niger States.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a communique is expected to be issued at the end of the meeting.