Holders of Higher National Diploma (HND) under the umbrella of Coalition of Higher National Diploma stakeholders have asked the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), to urgently commence the process of implementing approved government white paper that eliminated the disparity between university (BSc) and polytechnic graduates (HND).
The coalition threatened industrial action if government fails to implement the white paper detailing the removal of dichotomy on their career progression in public service in four weeks.
“We are going to occupy that office until they do the needful because we will not continue to keep quiet and things will continue to go wrong,” Chris Isiquzo Ikechukwu, president of Nigerian Union of Journalists and a Visitor of International Institute of Journalists, told a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday.
He said having one group of workers enjoying their promotion in service and another group retarded, “is unacceptable to us.”
“We are not going to take this lying low; we are going to mobilize our students and members across Nigeria.”
The white paper has been nearly 14 years waiting to be implemented, said president of Higher National Diploma Holders Association of Nigeria (HNDHAN) Sabastine Onyemaobi.
He added that the wait continues to expose HND graduates to discrimination, stigmatization and undue stagnation.
He said HND holders do not progress above level 14 rather they are faced with demotion in cases where they try to rise above that, after acquiring PGD and Masters as required by the law.
He demanded that the HND certificate holders from accredited NBTE be recognized as approved by the white paper to progress to higher grades up to level 17.
While noting that their members are becoming restive and they may not be able to contain their agitation, he said promotion and progression in career if free and highly competitive and that HND holders should be given a level playing ground.
The coalition, however, appealed to the president to take the matter seriously and call the HoS to order immediately.
