FG raises panel as crisis rocks African University

The Federal Government on Friday constituted an administrative audit panel towards resolving the administrative crisis facing the African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja. The university was operated on public-private partnership agreement with obligations and responsibilities of the public and private entities – the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Nelson Mandela Institutions (NMI) […]

The Federal Government on Friday constituted an administrative audit panel towards resolving the administrative crisis facing the African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja.

The university was operated on public-private partnership agreement with obligations and responsibilities of the public and private entities – the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Nelson Mandela Institutions (NMI) – ‘clearly’ spelt out in a cooperation agreement.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Arc Sunny Echono said the panel became imperative following several ‘worrisome reports’ received by the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC) expressing concern on the management impasse impeding the day-to-day management of, and operational activities in the university.

He said a fact-finding team had in 2017 brought to light countless challenges rocking the university, including irregular governance structure not in line with the university law.

The university has no governing council and its board takes decisions on matters that should have normally been the responsibility of the council.

Echono said the audit panel would allow government to take in-depth review of the proprietorship, academic affairs, governance, financial and physical development matters in the university and make recommendations towards resolving the identified challenges.

The panel has Professor Emeritus Nimi Briggs as chairman and Professor Afis  A. Oladosu, Mr J. Ojo, Mr Balarabe Z. Ahmed, Dr R. B. Ramon Yusuf, Mr Chris J. Maiyaki, Dr Abubakar Mohammed Siddique, representative of FCDA and representative of Ministry of Finance as members while Malam Hamza Abdullahi and Mr Moses O. Awe, as the secretary and assistant secretary respectively.

The panel would critically examine the governance arrangement in the institution, the financial management system, the cooperation agreement and university law, the status and usage of university land as well as academic matters among others.

The panel had six weeks within which to submit its report.