From Priscilla Ediare, Ado Ekiti
A retired university lecturer, Prof Femi Olaofe, has chided the federal government for approving the establishment of seven tertiary institutions in the country.
Olaofe who expressed worry over the proliferation of tertiary institutions, lamented the sorry state of majority of the intellectual Ivory towers in the country.
He made this known during a chat over the phone with newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, capital of Ekiti State, where he advised the federal government to stop establishing more tertiary institutions and focus to develop the existing ones to world standard.
“As an insider in the management of tertiary institutions I felt very disturbed and worried about this development because the present tertiary institutions lack adequate and qualified teaching staff, state-of-the-art equipment, adequate infrastructural facilities such as 24/7 water and electricity supplies, chemicals, A to Z, gross insufficient fundings, etc.
One finds it very difficult to compare management of tertiary institutions in developed countries with those in Nigeria.
“In the developed countries, managers of tertiary institutions have no problems with electric supply, water supply, road networks, transportation for students and staff, etc. All these take a considerable time of managers and a huge sum of financial resources in developing countries. Secondly, teaching and non teaching staff are not paid the same wages and salaries. Even two teaching staff in the same department and cadre do not earn the same. Wages of teaching staff are based on level, discipline and amount of funds he.or she can attract to the system through research grants. My recommendation is that the government should give the university total autonomy in running the university and fixing of salaries and wages. Secondly, the government should stop the establishment of more tertiary institutions and allow the present universities to be fully established and develop to world class institutions as had few decades ago.”
Speaking on the students loan scheme introduced by the federal government, the former Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) Ekiti State University, (EKSU) Ado-Ekiti, called for utmost honesty, sincerity and Integrity in its operation to achieve the purpose for which it was introduced.
“The introduction of students’ loan scheme is a welcome development. It will help the indigent students access tertiary education and improve the university internally generated revenue because they can now charge tuitions that are commensurate with the training of each discipline.
“The scheme, however, must be operated with honesty and integrity by all organisations and personalities (government, banks, universities and students) involved to enable the desired students benefit from the scheme. I will recommend that the banks directly pay the tertiary institution component to school while only the student’s component is paid directly to the student”.
The Professor advised the federal government to drop the idea of the payment of tertiary institutions salaries from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) platform and allow them to manage their funds.
“The centralisation of payment of salary of all federal tertiary institutions led to a lot of management problems and delays (employment, payment and wastage of man hours) in the institutions. Decentralisation will lead.to a better and efficient management system.”
Sharing his thoughts on the removal of fuel subsidy, he said, “No doubt the removal of fuel subsidy has created many hardships for everyone in the country. It has worsened the social and security situation in the country. I must say, it is a highly welcome policy which should have come many years back.”
Speaking further, he accused the federal government of not coming up openly on the issue.
“For example; Who are those that benefitted from the subsidy? Crude oil meant to be refined in Nigeria was swapped with refined products from refineries outside Nigeria. How has subsidy payment come to it? How has the subsidy affected our rate of exchange that made the exchange rate jumped from about N400 in May to over N1,000 in October? This has led to a rapid increase in prices of commodities and services.
Lastly, the Government did not make adequate preparation for the removal including addressing potential consequences.”
Olaofe called on the state government to follow the federal government policy on wages award saying workers at all levels are affected by the removal of the fuel subsidy and they go to the same market for goods and services.
“However, this will not solve the problems of poverty and end the hardship. It may increase both.
I would have suggested that the government should have embarked on policies that would benefit the generality of the public. For examples, mass and cheap transportation system, low fee paying schools up to tertiary institutions and high quality education, very good infrastructure (good roads, electricity, water supply, etc).”
Commenting on the issue of foreign exchange he said, “In my own opinion, we should cancel the parallel market system and go back to the old system (single market system). In the single market system, foreign exchange is only made available in the banks. We have used the single market system up till eighties. By that time, the currency was stable and the rate was constant in every bank and throughout Nigeria. Unlike the present system that one can buy foreign currencies at different rates in every street.”