FUL VC, Akinwumi Hails FG On New Universities, Promises Fairness on Staff Recruitment

Richard Elesho

 

The recent policy by the federal government to suspend the establishment of new universities and other higher institutions in the country for seven years has received a thumbs-up from the Vice Chancellor, Federal University,  Lokoja, FUL, Prof Akinwumi Olayemi.

The VC who hailed the policy as the right step in the right direction rationalised that there was no point in establishing new higher institutions when those in existence had not been properly funded. He advised that the government should use the seven-year suspension period to concentrate on funding existing institutions, especially those that were recently established.

He spoke on the sidelines of an ongoing staff recruitment exercise at the Adankolo campus of the university on Thursday.

Akinwumi expressed delight about the approval for personnel recruitment as given by the Ministry of Education and vowed to meticulously follow the due process in its implementation, assuring a level playing ground for all the applicants.

He recalled that the process for recruitment to fill vacant positions arising from growth in the university started about two years ago, but it could not be implemented because of delayed approval from the relevant federal offices.

FUL has witnessed notable growth, moving from four faculties when Akinwumi was appointed Vice Chancellor about four years ago to 12 faculties, including law, pharmacy, and engineering, under his watch. The university, therefore, requires regular recruitment to update its growing academic programs.

It was gathered that the university’s belated 2024 approval is for the recruitment into about 350 positions, in which they have received about 2,000 applications, covering both academic and non-academic cadres.