FG Ignores ASUU, Inaugurates Governing Council Of Tertiary Institutions

The Tinubu-led Federal Government has inaugurated the Governing Councils of tertiary institutions to effect the smooth running of Nigerian Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education in the next four years.

This is coming amid rejection from the Academic Staff Union Of Universities (ASUU).

The Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, inaugurated the Chairmen and members of the councils in Abuja, on Thursday.

Mamman said it was tough to decide as he has not rested on the issue in the last ten months.

While congratulating the tertiary institution Governing Councils, the Minister warned them against undue interference in the institutions’ human, financial and resource management.

Mamman also urged them to develop ideas that would shore up the internally generated revenue of the institutions by exploring diverse sources and partners willing to invest in education.

He said: “There is a clear line of operations between the Management and respective Governing Councils of the tertiary Institutions, Councils are not to interfere with the day-to-day management of human, financial, and material resources of the Institutions.

“You are responsible for setting the strategic direction, overseeing transparent and responsible financial management of the sector, and ensuring the overall performance of these Institutions to achieve the national goals and expectation of tertiary institutions.

“Governing Councils should encourage responsible unionism in their respective Institutions while arresting the problems of cultism and drug abuse by students Effective strategies should be put in place by Councils for early detection and eradication of social wees such as sexual harassment, theft, extortion and inducement.”

Speaking on behalf of the Governing Councils, the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos,  Wole Olanipekun, said the relationship between the Management of the universities and Councils should not be that of cat and rat.

He urged them to be cautious in their dealings with members of the universities while he encouraged Vice Chancellors to allow Councils to improve the institutions, saying, “We are to build and not to pull down.”

Speaking, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Chris Maiyaki, congratulated the councils and said their doors and windows were open and they would give them 100 percent support to improve the university system.