ASUCA Faults Varsity Professor’s Appointment As College Of Agriculture Provost

The Academic Staff Union of Colleges of Agriculture (ASICS) has faulted the appointment of a university professor as the Provost/CEO of the Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan, and called for its immediate reversal on the grounds that the appointment contradicts the criteria and qualifications set out in the advertisement for the position.

It also called for the withdrawal and correction of the advertisement for the position of Provost/CEO of the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Vom, Plateau State.

Addressing newsmen in Jos, Plateau State, regarding the appointment and other issues, the acting National President of the Union, Comrade Williams Manggeol, pointed out that the advertisement for the position specifically stated that the required qualification and eligibility were for an Assistant Director, Associate Professor, or Principal Lecturer from National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARIs) and Federal Colleges of Agriculture (FCA), which were not adhered to.

According to him, the university professor in question was not qualified for the position based on the advertisement and should not have applied. He added that if he erroneously did, he should not have been shortlisted in the first instance, let alone invited for an interview or considered for appointment.

He stated that the appointment of university professors as Provost/CEOs in Colleges of Agriculture will not only lead to brain drain but is also demoralising and discouraging for academic staff who have dedicated themselves to reaching the peak of their careers.

“It is important to inform you that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had strongly objected to the amendment of the TETFund Bill in 2016 and 2017 to include Colleges of Agriculture. It is therefore a misnomer for ASUU members to be the ultimate beneficiaries of the same system they denied funding,” he said.

Comrade Manggeol also expressed dismay over the advertisement for the position of Provost/CEO of the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Vom, Plateau State, which included a minimum qualification of Associate Professor. He added that based on the initial agreement and in the interest of the system, the advertisement for the position of Provost/CEO should be restricted to qualified staff within FCA and NARIs only.

“We demand that the advertisement should be the same as that of FCA, Ibadan, as there has not been any new Act, circular, or letter between the two advertisement dates. We consider this inclusion a means of reintroducing university professors into a system they are unfamiliar with, particularly our challenges, while only seeking personal benefits. After benefiting, they often return to the university, leaving the Colleges of Agriculture in a deplorable state.

“The union considers this advertisement a direct affront and a gross disregard for the autonomy and unique identity of our system. Colleges of Agriculture are distinct in mission, vision, and structure, and their leadership should rightfully emerge from within the system.”

The acting National President stated that allowing university professors to apply for Provost/CEO positions in Colleges of Agriculture would undermine the career progression of academic staff and create unnecessary tension, dissatisfaction, and potential instability within the system.

He added that the continuous delay in the release of the Scheme of Service (SOS) and Condition of Service (COS) for Federal Colleges of Agriculture and related institutions under the purview of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) is frustrating for ASUCA members.

“The delay has resulted in the continued use of the 2004 SOS/COS, which is obsolete, deficient, and not in line with contemporary academic standards and staff progression. The union was invited by the ARCN and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, along with other stakeholders, in 2020 to draft a new SOS/COS, which was proposed for consideration,” he said.