President Bola Tinubu has appointed 555 individuals to serve as Pro-Chancellors/Chairmen and members of Governing Boards for 111 federal universities, polytechnics, and Colleges of Education.
The appointments followed President Tinubu’s endorsement of a list of nominees selected by the Ministry of Education. An official announcement from the Ministry detailed the appointment of a chairperson and four members for each institution. The announcement was signed by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack.
“The inauguration and retreat for the Governing Councils will take place on Thursday, May 30th, and Friday, May 31st, 2024, at the National Universities Commission, 26 Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja. Both events will commence at 9:00 am daily,” stated Walson-Jack.
When contacted for confirmation, the Presidency clarified 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,” explained Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, in a statement to our correspondent on Saturday.
These appointments come shortly after the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) threatened to initiate another strike, potentially disrupting the academic calendar and causing further setbacks in the country’s higher education sector. The union criticized the Federal Government for its delay in appointing Governing Councils for federal universities.
During a briefing at the University of Abuja, ASUU also condemned what it described as the Federal Government’s indifferent attitude toward academic affairs in federal universities. The union additionally criticized the recent salary adjustments, which included a 35% increment for professors and a 25% increment for other academic staff within the university system.
President Tinubu’s timely appointments aim to address these grievances and stabilize the governance of higher education institutions across Nigeria.