The Academic Staff Union of Universities at the Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina, welcomed on Thursday the removal of the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Sanusi Mamman, and its Pro-Chancellor, Mu’uta Ibrahim.
The state government announced the removal of the duo on Wednesday night, shortly after the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Aminu Masari.
The government also directed that relevant laws establishing the university should be reviewed so that “they could stand the test of time,” adding that relevant civil service rules concerning the university should also be looked into.
Governor Masari’s Special Adviser on Higher Education, Bashir Ruwangodiya, made the disclosure while speaking with newsmen shortly after the State Executive Council meeting, which lasted over four hours.
Ruwangodiya explained that the government’s decision followed the adoption of the recommendations of the white paper drafting committee on the Visitation Panel that investigated the activities of the university.
He declared, “After the four-hour holistic study of the white paper reports on the visitation panel’s recommendations, it was established that there are procedural bridges, financial misconduct, and other moral issues, and the government must take far-reaching decisions to save the university from being crippled.
“It was established that leaving the university vice chancellor in his office would be detrimental to the university. So he must vacate that office immediately. The Pro-Chancellor/Chairman should also immediately leave that office.”
The government assured that efforts would be made to ensure that a new vice chancellor was appointed for the university in good time.
Ruwagodiya further explained that after the visitation panel submitted its report to the state government, the governor set up another committee charged with the responsibility of coming up with a white paper on the panel’s recommendations.
He added; “At the SEC meeting, we deliberated and subjected the white paper recommendations to a holistic analysis before we came up with the decisions. The aim was to come up with the decisions that would bring back the glory of the UMYU, which the state would be proud of, and that would be a source of pride for the Nigerian academic community and the international community.’’
ASUU chairman in the university, Murtala Kwarah, who reacted on Thursday on behalf of the union members at the university, said, “The union members welcomed the development and urged the state government to appoint a new vice chancellor for the university on time.”