Controversy trails position of bursar at Yobe varsity

Disagreements between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the management of the Yobe State University, Damaturu, have persisted after the union rejected the advertisement for the position of bursar of the institution. It was gathered that the office of the bursar has been vacant since the substantive bursar was appointed as a permanent […]

Disagreements between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the management of the Yobe State University, Damaturu, have persisted after the union rejected the advertisement for the position of bursar of the institution.

It was gathered that the office of the bursar has been vacant since the substantive bursar was appointed as a permanent secretary in the Yobe State Government; with the registrar acting in his stead despite his (registrar) time for retirement.

Daily Trust gathered that the university council called for internal and external advertisement for the position of bursar which was published in national dailies on September 26, 2023, following which invitations for interview were sent out and the interview was conducted on November 14, 2023. But almost six months after, the result of the interview is yet to be released, hence the office of the bursar remains vacant.

Meanwhile, sources in the university said that there were speculations that the governing council of the university cancelled the conducted interview presumably to favour a candidate who did not attend the interview.

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Meanwhile, another internal and external advertisement for the position of bursar was published on Thursday, March 21, 2024, in two pages of national dailies; a move that was faulted by the university’s ASUU leadership.

A former ASUU branch Chairman, Dr Saje Jajere, said, ‘‘This one is inconclusive because there is no outcome to it. It is either the council wanted to favour someone, hence the second advert. We will not agree to it and will do everything humanly possible to resist it. We will not allow our university to be hijacked by politicians. Let them get ready for a legal battle because the case of the registrar and the bursar is on our radar.’’

Speaking to Daily Trust on the development, the Chairman of ASUU, Yobe State University chapter, Comrade Ahmed Ibrahim Karage, said the recently placed advert on the vacancy of the post of bursar in the national dailies was a blatant lawlessness and abuse of administrative procedure which hurt the university’s image and productivity.

Comrade Karage said the university council should appoint the bursar from the already conducted interview to avoid getting the institution into uncertainty.

He explained that, ‘‘The office of the bursar has been vacant since the substantive bursar was appointed as permanent secretary in the Yobe State Government. Invitations for interview were sent out and the interview was conducted on November 14, 2023, accordingly.

‘‘For almost six months now the result of the interview is yet to be released and appointment to the office of bursar remains uncertain after all the procedures have been followed.”

He further said, ‘‘When we were trying to get this issue fixed, we just heard a new advertisement for the same position without any circular explaining the status of the previous interview which was conducted. We are yet to receive any feedback on what happened with the previous one. So, we are completely rejecting that advert and we won’t take it anymore.

‘‘Interferences, meddling and abuse of due process are unacceptable. ASUU will do everything necessary to protect the university for the greater good of Yobe State’s posterity.”

He added that, ‘‘The current registrar of the university, Dr Kalli Gazali, who made the advertisement for the position, is occupying the office illegally. He doesn’t have the locus standi to advertise because he is no longer the registrar as he retired last year.

‘‘Dr Gazali, who continues to sign university documents and attend statutory meetings in the name of the registrar retired in September, 2023, after completing the number of years of service as indicated by his date of birth: September, 1958, according to the document he presented to the university.

‘‘So, the illegal occupation of the registrar’s office in violation of the university’s and national laws is unacceptable, and failure to release the result of the previous interview for the office of bursar is abuse of administrative procedure.’’

He noted that, ‘‘This is shameful and alien, especially in a university as a centre of excellence and institution for the development of character and learning. We are urging the university council to immediately advertise for interviews and appoint the university’s registrar. The council should also appoint a bursar from the already conducted interview to avoid getting the university into a situation of uncertainty.’’

When our correspondent contacted the university’s Director of Information and Communication, Hajiya Uwani Zainab Mamuda, she said, “This is not my boundary. So, I cannot speak on this matter. You can contact the school’s management.’’

Also, when contacted, the Vice Chancellor (VC) of the university, Professor Mala Muhammad Daura, said he would get back to us.