The Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie, has asked the Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong to reinstate the sacked Vice Chancellor of the state owned university, Prof. Doknan Sheni.
Okojie who gave the advice to the governor when he paid him a visit in Abuja on Tuesday, condemned Sheni’s sacking by the former Plateau State governor, Jonah Jang.
He directed that the Governing Council of the university be reconstituted within three weeks in order for the institution to have a sense of direction.
“You have to reinstate that VC, a distinguished ophthalmologist. Recall him immediately because he has not completed his term, put the Governing Council in place in three weeks so that registrar and librarian can be appointed,” Okojie said.
Jang had sacked the VC on some unexplained grounds, and replaced him with a former Rector of Plateau State Polytechnic, Stephen Mallo.
Okojie observed that Nigerians underestimate the importance of tertiary institutions to the overall development of the nation, noting that this jeopardizes the benefits that should accrue from such institutions.
Lalong who decried the misfortune suffered by the university since inception, pleaded with the Commission to see to the graduation of two sets of students.
He also asked for a moratorium or a grace of five months from August to December, 2015, within which to put necessary infrastructure in place to enhance the accreditation of 17 unaccredited courses being run by the institution.
The Governor further pleaded with NUC, to facilitate the recruitment of academic staff from the Diaspora as well as persuade professors from other universities to come for sabatical at the university.
He however gave assurance that the Governing Council of the university would soon be reconstituted, while also noting that a committee is already examining the abrupt termination of Sheni’s appointment.
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