By Nurat Uthman
The Federal Government has directed outgoing vice-chancellors in federal universities to nominate their deputies to temporarily serve as acting vice-chancellors.
This was conveyed by the National Universities Commission in a letter to the outgoing vice chancellors which was dated May 28, 2024.
The letter signed by the acting Executive Secretary of NUC, Chris Maiyaki, said the move was prompted by a directive from the Federal Ministry of Education, which duly notified the commission on the end of the tenure of some vice-chancellors.
While saying the appointment of the acting vice-chancellors should be done through the recommendations of the universities’ senates, NUC said the soon-to-be inaugurated governing councils of the universities would appoint acting vice-chancellors after their inauguration.
A copy of the letter obtained by newsmen in Abuja read: “I write, further to previous communication Ref. No. NUC/ES/138/Vol. 65/88 and dated 27 May 2024, to convey the directive of the Federal Ministry of Education, vide its letter Ref. No. FME/TE/CỰ/130/T6/458 and dated 28 May 2024 (copy attached), to the effect that Vice-Chancellors of Federal Universities, who are rounding up their tenures, are to nominate, through the recommendation of their Senates, a Deputy Vice-Chancellor that will oversee the office of the Vice-Chancellor in a temporary capacity.
“The Governing Councils, after their inauguration, will appoint Acting Vice-Chancellors for a period not less than 6 months, during which they will commence the process of appointing a substantive Vice-Chancellors.
“This circular takes pre-eminence over our earlier communication on the same subject
“Please accept the assurances of my highest considerations, always.”
