FG inaugurates governing council of 13 federal universities

The Federal Government has inaugurated the Governing Council of 13 federal universities as parts of its effort to improve Nigerian universities in the next four years.

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu who inaugurated the council members in Abuja on Monday urged them to come up with ideas that will shore up the internally generated revenue of the universities.

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He said: “The major critical areas of challenge is inadequate funding as well as judicious use of available resources, so let me advise you to come up with new creative ways to improve funding in your institution

“You will have to block the loopholes where the IGR slides away, I urge you to also comply and respect the rule of the Federal Character Commission in the appointment of your officers.”

He disclosed that visitation panels will be visiting the universities in the next weeks, and called on the new council members to effectively cooperate with the panel so as to lay a good foundation.

Speaking, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Rasheed Abubakar said the inauguration of the council members marks the beginning of a new phase in the introduction of first 12 specialised universities.

He said all the specialised universities came about with the vision to empower specialised higher education in the sector to address the needs of the Nigerian society.

Responding, the representative of the newly appointed chairmen, Prof Funmilayo Monguno, while pledging the best of services from the council members also called for cooperation from the Minister and NUC specifically in the provision of useful information.

The universities with new Governing Council Members are Federal University Lokoja, Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State, Federal University Kashere, Federal University Wukari, Taraba State, Federal University Dutsen-ma, Katsina State and Federal University Jigawa.

Others are Ndufo Alike University of Ebonyi State, Federal University Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State, Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Federal University Birnin-Kebbi, Federal University Gusau, Zamfara state, Federal University Gashua, Yobe state and Federal University of Health Sciences.