HOUSE GOES TOUGH ON LASU

*Orders Removal Of Vice-Chancellor

For failing to accede to the recommendations made to him last year on resolving the crisis in the Lagos State University, the Vice-Chancellor of the foremost institution of learning, Professor Lateef Hussain appeared to have played to the gallery.

The State House of Assembly, through the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji last week passed a vote of no confidence on the Vice-Chancellor, a fall-out of the dis-accreditation of 10 courses in LASU by the National Universities Commission, which came calling early October. Some of the courses dis-accredited include Business Administration, Economics, Marketing, Sociology, Law, Chemical and Polymer Engineering, Accounting and Management Technology. The University used to run the best law faculty in the entire country in the 80s.

 The Speaker, who addressed his colleagues on the floor last week Tuesday said, “From all that the House gathered at the hearing yesterday (Monday), it became very clear to us that since the present Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Hussain took over the mantle of leadership, a lot has happened.”

He added that 'it is clear to us that after his initial success, the rest of his administration has been characterized by falling academic standard, decaying infrastructure, poor human and material resource management, administrative ineptitude, poor human relations and victimization in various forms leading to exodus of committed members of staff, especially the academic staff.”

Adeyemi stressed that the House had constantly intervened on issues relating to the institution, adding that, “The House at its executive season this morning (Tuesday), decided to pass a vote of no confidence on the VC, Prof. Hussain.

“The House also decided to call on the visitor, His Excellency, Babatunde Raji Fashola, Governor of Lagos State, to put in motion necessary machinery for the removal of the VC. The House also decided to call on the visitor to please put in place immediately, machinery to address the requirement for re-accreditation of the courses that have been denied accreditation and also to ensure no other course is denied accreditation in the future.”

The State House of Assembly had last week responded to the decision of the NUC on the dis-accredited courses. According to the Speaker of the House, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, efforts would be made to salvage the school and no external force would be allowed to interfere with the steps the House would take.

Leadership of the acclaimed centre of academic excellence including the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lateef Hussain, deans of faculties, ASUU leaders, Director of Academic Planning, HODs and others had been invited into the hallowed chamber of the House last week.

While the Vice Chancellor, Professor Hussain tried to defend the NUC's action by ascribing the development to understaffing, lack of funding and absent of infrastructures, Chairman of the school's chapter of ASUU, Dr. Akinyemi, H.O.D of Geography Department, Dr. Ayo Omotayo and Dr. Olatunji Abanikannda, a lecturer in LASU revealed that the school is suffering from maladministration and incompetence on the part of the management.

Adeyemi regretted that LASU is no longer 'the university of our dream. We could have avoided the problems there. The university must survive, and we will make our decisions on it without external interference.' He rebuked Hussain for not taking to the advice of the House when the school had problems last year, especially on the case of one Dr. Abubakar Momoh, who had been denied promotion for years, adding that the university must be salvaged together.

Hussain had said in his response that the dis-accreditation came to the university community with apprehension. 'We have not received the details of the reports from NUC. We have problems with staffing in terms of number and status. In recent times, NUC has insisted that most of our staff should have doctorate degrees. Though some are pursuing their Phds, many are still not qualified,' he said.

Hussain said further that the problems of the school included inadequate funding, not just for salaries but for providing infrastructures such as libraries, laboratories. He said that the funding the school receives is barely enough for salaries, that many items were procured through I.G.R funding.

'Funding can be improved upon considerably. From the calculations by the university council, the government should provide a minimum of 1million per student,' he added.

However, the ASUU Chairman in the school, Dr. Kabir Akinyemi, said that the dis-accreditation has confirmed the lack of good management in the school. He stated that the failure of the university authority to develop the school and provide library and laboratory facilities caused the present problem. 'LASU is one of the most metropolitan universities in Nigeria since its creation. The school has never witnessed this kind of mass dis-accreditation. The Director of Academic Planning is a non-academic and she is inexperienced. There is mis-appropriation of fund. Only one building has been added to the school since 2006. There is brain drain in the university due to poor condition of service. The operation of part time programme does not follow the NUC guideline, most of the staff there are not even qualified. Only few people have been sponsored for academic study by the university,” he said.

The Dean of Faculty of Engineering with campus in Epe, Lagos also called for the release of fund for the acquisition of equipment for the training of engineers.

Dr. Omotayo, acting H.O.D, Geography expressed the fear that many courses would be dis-accredited again when NUC comes calling in November 2010, adding that there has been depreciation in quality in the school since the present management took over five years ago. He said it was certain the accreditation of Geography department would be withdrawn.

“There is gross under-funding, administrative high handedness, and incompetence. In the last five years, the different components of LASU have not been working together. Between 2005 and 2010, law faculty has lost its competent hands due to lack of encouragement and absence of free speech. Even the House of Assembly has not been doing much on the school,” he said.

Professor Yerokun, Dean of Faculty of Law said that the faculty lost six professors in the last couple of years as some left on their own, while others left due to personal issues. He said he was the only professor on ground when NUC came, which was why the course was dis-accredited.

Dr. Olatunji Abanikannda berated the school's authority over mis-management. He said that the VC uses the political power of contract staffing, and that the rules of no contract staffing were not adhered to.

'The present management is not prudent. The state government gave the school about N2.5 billion between 2005 and now, what have they done with it. Epe campus has received so much money without anything to show for it. Lagos State University should be the best,' he stated.

November 11, 2010