
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of 555 individuals to serve as Pro-chancellors/Chairmen and members of the Governing Boards for 111 federal universities, polytechnics, and Colleges of Education. This decision follows the President’s endorsement of a list of nominees selected by the Ministry of Education.
An advertorial by the Education Ministry, seen by PUNCH Online, detailed the appointments, designating a chairperson and four members for each institution. The announcement was signed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack.
Mrs. Walson-Jack also stated that the inauguration and retreat for the Governing Councils will take place on Thursday, May 30, and Friday, May 31, 2024, at the National Universities Commission, located at 26 Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja. Both events are scheduled to begin at 9:00 am daily.
Confirming the appointments, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, mentioned that the list originated from the Ministry of Education. “This is from the Federal Ministry of Education…they make the nominations and forward them to the President to sign. But they are at liberty to release it from their end,” Onanuga stated.
These appointments come shortly after the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) threatened to initiate another strike, which could disrupt the academic calendar and further affect the higher education sector. The union recently criticized the Federal Government for failing to appoint Governing Councils for federal universities and expressed dissatisfaction with the 35 percent salary increment for professors and the 25 percent increment for other academic staff.
During a briefing at the University of Abuja, ASUU also criticized what it perceived as the nonchalant attitude of the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government towards academic matters in federal universities.