House panel queries computer council over operational structure

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The House of Representatives Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education has queried the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) over its operational structure.

The chairman of the committee, Fuad Laguda, speaking at a budget defence session, questioned the rationale for managing eight regional offices with only 58 staff members.

The committee chairman demanded clarification on how the council is able to sustain effective coordination and service delivery under such staffing limitations and directed the agency to submit all outstanding relevant documents for the period under review within seven days.

The CPN Registrar, Adebayo Adegbiji, in his response, assured the lawmakers of the council’s commitment to fulfilling its mandate, which includes the regulation and accreditation of private organisations operating within the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.

Adegbiji promised to furnish the panel with all the requested documents within the stipulated timeframe, noting that the council would cooperate fully with the committee in the interest of accountability and improved sectoral performance.

Also, the committee approved the budget performance reports of federal polytechnics across the country, after a budget defence session attended by rectors and other top officials of federal polytechnics.

Laguda described polytechnics as indispensable to Nigeria’s industrial and technological aspirations, stating that their contributions to middle-level manpower development remain critical to national growth.

He said, “The country’s quest for technological advancement cannot be achieved without well-funded and properly equipped technical institutions. We are always partners in progress. Everything we do is to improve and make things work better.”