RSUST: RVHA Orders Graduate School Dean’s Sack

The appointment of the Dean of Graduate School at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) may be reversed if the House of Assembly okays the recommendations of the Assembly Committee on Education.

Submitting report of the committee yesterday on the floor of the Assembly, the Chairman, Hon Augustine Ngo said the appointment of one Prof Emmanuel Amadi as Dean of Graduate School was not proper and should be reversed .

Hon Ngo explained that the appointment of Prof Amadi did not enjoy the support of the majority of members of the academic environment, noting that the occupant of such position is regarded as the Dean of Deans, and so, the position could not be given to less experienced persons when more qualified persons exist.

The committee also condemned the luke warm attitude of the Governing Council and the Senate of the institution for failing to discharge their responsibilities in addressing the problem before they escalated.

The committee equally observed that the Vice Chancellor had not been very accommodating and tolerant of criticisms as some persons were allegedly penalised for expressing strong views about his administration.

Hon Ngo hinted that the committee discovered that the appointment of the Vice Chancellor, Prof Barineme Fakae from outside the institution by the Visitor to the school prepared the foundation for the opposition to the good works of the Vice Chancellor.

According to him, the committee noted with satisfaction that  Prof Fakae restored accreditation to more than 70 per cent of the programmes of the institution that were hitherto denied the university as well as the ability to attract private sector to partner with the institution.

The education committee recommended that the Governing Council should advertise the position of the Vice Chancellor as the tenure of the present officer terminates in August 2012 for interested persons to apply.

Hon Ngo said another cause of friction between the auhtorities and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was the stoppage of check-off dues of members that go to the union and directed  that the due be restored.

The committee noted that the contracting of preparation of students’ results to a private firm and the non-renewal of contracts for retired professors that are in good health should be reconsidered.

The committee noted with serious concern the dearth of lecturers in the institution and recommended the engagement of more qualified teachers.

Hon Ngo also recommended that the state government should put machinery in motion to pay the teachers the salary it negotiated with them.

However, debate on the report of the Education Committee was deferred to another date having been admitted as a working document of the House.

Group photograph of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government at the 40th Ordinary Session of the Authority in Abuja, yesterday