VC appointments: FG cautions pro-chancellors against violating due process
Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja
Worried about the flood of petitions bordering on allegations of bribery, corruption as well as disrespect for due process in the course of selecting new vice-chancellors in some federal universities, the federal government has warned heads of governing councils of Nigerian universities against violating the process of appointing vice chancellors.
President Muhammadu Buhari who issued the at the 2020 convocation and 72nd foundation day celebration of the University of Ibadan said that those found wanting would be held responsible for the outcome of the process.
President Buhari who was represented at the event by the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Abubakar Rasheed, further warned that government will not hesitate to dissolve or suspend all erring governing councils or university managements found to have fallen short of the standard expected of them.
He said that the government has put in place several mechanisms to monitor the selection process of VCs with a view to taking appropriate measures to ensure that the processes are conducted in open, fair and transparent manner and that all violators are properly sanctioned.
He said, “Pro-Chancellors, in their dual role as chairpersons of governing councils and chairpersons of the five person selection committee for the appointment of Vice-Chancellors, must be prepared to bear full responsibility for the management or mismanagement of the process. It is our hope the University of Ibadan, as Nigeria’s premier university, will live up to its billing in this respect’’.
While stating that government has strengthened institutions such the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission, ICPC, in the fight against corruption, the president said it is not useful to talk of adequate funding of education if universities are mired in crisis, confusion, fraud and lack of institutional vision.
“I am glad to say that these organisations are working relentlessly to tackle corruption in all its ramifications and to promote the well-being of this nation. It is our collective responsibility to work together and stamp out corruption from our society. Government is determined to continue to fight corruption at all levels, including in our tertiary institutions.
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Buhari assured the university community that the federal government will continue to meet its obligations to universities and the education sector, while noting that government is not unmindful of the special role of the nation’s universities in the upliftment of the socio-economic wellbeing of citizens.
“For this reason, Government shall continue to give the necessary support to enable the universities to achieve the objectives for which they were established. The universities, on their own part, will need to reciprocate the kind gesture of Government by striving, at all time, to measure up to expectation and to justify the huge investment on them.
The President commended the University of Ibadan for sustaining its reputation as the premier university in Nigeria, describing as a great pride for its ranking among the first 500 universities in the world.
