VC appointment now constituency project – SSANU

The leadership of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) on Sunday bemoaned poor funding of critical infrastructures in the country including structures in various public universities. It specifically said what ought to be a citadel of learning, now looks like local government headquarters, arguing that the country had gone backwards because it failed […]

The leadership of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) on Sunday bemoaned poor funding of critical infrastructures in the country including structures in various public universities.

It specifically said what ought to be a citadel of learning, now looks like local government headquarters, arguing that the country had gone backwards because it failed to take education as a priority.

President of SSANU, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, stated this during an interview with journalists shortly after the 50th Regular National Executive Council meeting that was held at the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State.

According to him, the deplorable conditions of Nigerian roads is worrisome, adding that the roads in the country are worse than roads in Rwanda and South Sudan.

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He also expressed concerns over the appointment of Vice Chancellors in Nigerian universities, stressing that the government has turned such important position to look like a constituency project.

The labour leader added, “We have said it before, and we will re-echo it again. We have clearly seen that government is not serious about education in Nigeria, especially university education.

“Why do we say this? Funding is at its lowest ebb. And the new challenge, we used to have problem of funding, capital, but what is new or the emerging trend, is that even personnel cost, personnel project is not properly funded.

“And I wonder how we will run universities without properly funding it. University is about teaching, research and community service. How do you do this?

“You can’t teach, you can’t do any research, neither would you be able to do any community service without money, without funding. Universities are supposed to attract the best friends around the world.

“From the name University, it is universal. In Otuoke here, we should have Indians, Americans, Europeans, other Africans as members of staff, both in teaching and even non teaching. This is what makes a university.”

On the condition of Nigerian roads, the SSANU President said: “Nigeria has the worst set of roads. The roads in Rwanda are better. In fact, the ones in southern Sudan, they are better than what we see in Nigeria. So our roads are bad. They are in bad condition. So government should wake up to its responsibility.”