The Federal Government yesterday inaugurated the
reconstituted governing councils for the 12 federal
universities by former President Goodluck
Jonathan amid concerns that appointment to the new
councils breached the federal character principle.
Inaugurating the councils, which have the Senate
President’s sister, Gbemisola Saraki, as chairman of
Federal University, Utuoke, Prof. Nimi Briggs,
Federal University, Lokoja, Lawan Yahuza, Federal
University, Gashua, and Chairman, Ogun State All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Roqeeb Adeniji is also appointed as member, governing council of Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa, among others.
Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu
restated the commitment of the present
administration to enthrone a better university’s
education.
While tasking the chairmen and members of the
councils to dicharge their duties with passion and
commitment, Adamu harped on the need to enthrone
transparency in addressing the mounting challenges
bedeviling the education sector.
He said,
“The Federal Government is tackling the
challenges and one of the ways is to increase
investment in the sector.
“That is why education got the highest allocation in
the 2016 budget, the highest so far.”
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Education,
Prof. Anthony Anwuka charged the new appointees to
justify the hope in them, adding that the job is on
part-time basis.
The minister said the councils must ensure that they
work in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s
vision for education.
“Let me inform you, by your appointments, you are
the ears and eyes of the visitor in the universities,”
Anwuka added.
The councils, which consist of 5-man each, also have
the following as chairmen, Prof. Saidat Mobadaje,
Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Marliyya Zayyan,
Federal University, Dustin-ma, Munzah Jibril,
Federal University, Lafia and F.T. Bikersteth, Federal
University, Gusau.
Others are Ahmed Uba Nana, Federal University,
Wukari, Garba Gadi, Federal University, Kashere,
Lawrence Ngbale, Federal University, Birnin-Kebbi,
while Najatu Muhammed turned down her
appointment as chairman of Federal University,
Dutse.
Meanwhile, Nigeria is losing about $2 billion every
year as capital flight on education, Chairman, Senate
Committee on higher education and Tertiary
Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Senator Binta Masi,
has said.
Masi, who disclosed this during the inauguartion of
the new universities councils in Abuja, said the
money if injected into the nation’s education sector,
would go a long way in discouraging many Nigerian
students from travelling abroad.
She however expressed confidence that the present
administration under President Buhari would reverse
the trend before 2019.
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