From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Determined to take the higher institutions in Ekiti State to exalted positions, the state governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, on Thursday inaugurated chairmen and members of the Governing Councils of the three tertiary institutions owned by the state, urging the Council members to act rightly, and come up with a rescue agenda on how to reposition the institutions to enviable heights.
Among those inaugurated were a former Vice Chancellor of University of Ado-Ekiti(UNAD) now Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Prof. Akin Oyebode as the Chairman/Pro Chancellor of EKSU, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) and
former Vice Chancellor of EKSU, Prof Dipo Aina as Chancellor and Chairman respectively of Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere-Ekiti( BOUESTI) and Dr Adedamola Dada as Chairman of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital(EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti.
Oyebanji made the remarks while inaugurating the councils at the Conference Hall of the Governor’s Office , Ado-Ekiti, on Thursday, where he urged the newly inaugurated council members to enhance educational performance and functionality of the institutions by attracting endowment funds from outside the universities as government could not fully fund higher institutions.
He also urged them to work assiduously with the management and other stakeholders to end academic instability issues in the institutions.
” Forge a way forward on how to end academic instability, students restiveness, unpaid salaries, bureaucratic slackness that make it impossible to get certificate and transcript ready on time and a whole lot of problems that continue to confront the development of the institutions.
“For example, these institutions are still faced with the challenge of meeting their emolument and overhead cost, just as institutional governance is a big issue.
” Similarly, there has been too many instabilities in the academic calendar of the institutions, especially EKSU, which has greatly eroded stakeholders’ confidence in its stability and competitiveness.
“The Councils must work towards ensuring stability in the academic calendar and full accreditation of programmes.
” I urge the Councils and the management to come up with a rescue agenda on how to reposition the institutions to an enviable height. In the world of today, where new generation universities are giving the older ones a run for their money, our universities must strive to be on top of the league in research, endowment and training of globally competitive students.”
Prof. Oyebode, who responded on behalf of the council members, pledged their loyalty and commitment to their new assignment and assured the Governor that the council members would work assiduously to bring back the lost glory of the universities.