*The appointment of the governing councils of federal Universities, Federal Polytechnics, and Federal Colleges of Education is skewed and faulty:*
By:
Chief Okoi Obono-Obla
The appointment of 555 people as members of the Governing Council of Federal government-owned Universities, Federal Polytechnics, and Federal Colleges of Education in the country by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a step in the right direction and highly commendable.
These institutions for the past ten months have been in comatose and limbo because of the absence of their governing council.
However, I find it disconcerting that out of 555 people appointed to these governing councils, only six people were considered for an appointment from Cross River State.
If you divide 555 into 36, each of the 36 states of the Federation is supposed to have at least 15 people.
This anatomy that manifested some states of the Federation having representations three times more than other states is a violation of the principle of equality of states is unacceptable and has to be immediately redressed.
Also, I find it unacceptable that the provisions of the establishment Acts of these institutions in the constitution of their governing councils were brazenly violated.
For instance, the Federal College of Education, Obudu, Cross River State, has no representation in its governing council.
Also, the composition of the Federal Polytechnic Ugep is faulty because there is no representation of the host community where the Polytechnic is situated.
Section 2,(e) of the Federal Polytechnic Act 2019 provides as follows:
(2) The Council shall consist of a Chairman and the following other members, that is-
(a) one person to represent the universities;
(b)one person to represent the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria;
(c) one person to represent professional bodies whose disciplines are taught at the polytechnic;
(d) one person selected from a Federal or State public utility statutory corporation;
(e) one person of standing in the community where the polytechnic is situated;
(f) the Rector of the polytechnic;
(g) one representative of the Minister charged with responsibility for matters relating to polytechnics
(h) one representative of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry charged with responsibility for matters relating to industries;
(i) one representative of the academic board of the polytechnic;
(j) one representative of the State Commissioner of Education; and
(k) five other persons, at least one of whom shall be a woman, to be selected each on his merit based on his contribution to either the development of industry, technology, or commerce or special interest in technical education.
Section 3 (e) of the Federal Polytechnic Act 2019 provides that the governing council of a Federal Polytechnic must include one person of standing from the community where the community is situated.
Accordingly, the Ugep community where the Federal Polytechnic is situated ought to be represented in the governing council of the Federal Polytechnic Ugep.
In the last governing council appointed in 2021 during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s time, a member of the governing council was appointed to represent the community where the Federal Polytechnic Ugep.
It seems to me that those who prepared the list for appointments to the governing council of the Federal Polytechnic did not avail themselves of the provisions of the Federal Polytechnic Act 2019.
It is so sad and outrageous.
Chief Okoi is a South South leader of thought, and wrote this Opinion from Port Harcourt, Rivers.
He can be reached through this means 08033490404 State.
