From Dan Amasingha, Minna

Academic Union of Universities (ASUU) of the Federal University of Technology, Minna has strongly condemned the latest discoveries about illicit recruitment tactics at the institution.

The FUT chapter of ASUU said it was highly concerned by the university management administration’s flagrant disregard for due process and infringement of university autonomy.

The Chairman ASUU in the university, Professor Gbolahan Bolarin stated this in a statement issued on Wednesday in Minna, Niger State.

He accused some individuals of manipulating the recruitment procedures and that reducing academic appointments to mere political instruments was alarming and inappropriate.

According to Gbolahan Bolarin, ” For example, a senator representing Niger East Senatorial District, through his Senior Legislative Aide (SLA) proudly displayed in public, letters of employment of two individuals that benefited from the illegal recruitment process (which was captured as a constituency project).

Gbolahan said, “as a Union of Academics, we are worried about the collusion between the university’s administration, politicians, and staff of the accountant general’s office (IPPIS to be specific) to undermine the integrity of academic appointments.

 “Our Union posited that the Federal University of Technology, Minna, just like other universities has been charged with safeguarding the ideals of academic independence, transparency and merit,” he declared.

He however noted that new findings pointed to a troubling pattern of meddling with the university’s autonomy, thereby jeopardizing the integrity of its academic activities.

Furthermore, the statement added that ASUU requests that the University management should prioritize adherence to predefined recruitment rules and respect for academic autonomy.

Additionally, the ASUU branch chairman is   asking all concerned to retrace their steps and prevent avoidable disharmony in the University because “we will not sit back and allow our University to be reduced to glorified secondary school due to the quality of the academic staff”.

Accordingly, he said, “this illegal recruitment and interference with university autonomy at the Federal University of Technology, Minna are reprehensible and must be addressed immediately”, and emphasized that the federal government had announced in December 2023 that the universities are now exempted from IPPIS, stressing that it became worrisome when staff of IPPIS were sighted “on our campus in March, 2024 capturing about one hundred people recruited without advertisement and or interview.”

Professor Bolarin attributed some of these infractions to the lack of governing council in federal universities, adding that as a result of which many VCs are now hiding under approval/waiver from the Minister of Education and Head of Service to circumvent laid down rules and procedures.

“Consequently, we call on the president (visitor to Federal Universities) to urgently reinstate Governing Councils on all our campuses.

“We want to confirm our commitment towards safeguarding academic staff interests and maintaining the integrity of the Nigerian University system.

“The union invites all the good people of Nigeria to join forces to protect the autonomy and reputation of our Universities across the country,” said the chairman.