OPINION:MATTERS ARISING ON THE REPORT OF THE VISITATION PANEL (2024) TO THE TARABA STATE UNIVERSITY, JALINGO.

 By Weje Nyayiti, Abuja, Nigeria.

Following the submission of the Panel’s report to Taraba State Government, and its contents made available to the public through the media, one question pop up, What’s up? It was a progressive idea and in the interest of Tarabans that Government constituted the Panel. However, it should be made clear that rather than the routine to establish panels from time to time, it seems the young and fledgling University since creation in 2008 has generated numerous allegations by some meaningful as well as selfish individuals to disrupt the academic system.

The 2024 Panel’s Report seems to reflect the latter. It was written in a manner that can best be described as; “the only people who find what they are looking for in life are the fault finders”. The dispatch distribution of the report’s soft copy to street journalists, calls into question, the qualities of the members who were vested with this serious Government’s business.  It could easily be assumed therefore that the journalists were detailed to purposefully hype the Panel’s recommendations while disregarding the main details as contained in the report. It is clear from the Panel’s Executive Summary report that the bulk of issues said have been discovered from TSU were between 2010 and 2021 and not particularly during the present TSU administration which is barely two years in its tenure.

It should be noted from the onset that the present administration followed Due Process in disbursement of funds and the employment of academic and non-academic staff; Council’s Approval was given, appropriate screening, and documentation followed. Therefore, the call by the Panel for total overhaul of the TSU present administration, in my opinion is simply to give a dog a bad name to hang it.  The concept of a Visitation Panel in a University’s setting is desirable. It has been the critical vehicle that double-checks the management’s performance periodically. Such panels are entrusted with the responsibility of conducting a comprehensive and objective assessment of the university and inter-universities related issues. The Taraba State Government took the right step by constituting the panel. By so doing, the management is provided with directions and support to enable the institution progress.

 Contextual Issues and Perspective of the Panel Constitution

The Visitation Panel to the Taraba State University under reference was appointed by the Visitor to the University; Governor of Taraba State, (His Excellency, Dr. Agbu Kefas).  It was inaugurated on the 5^th of January 2024 in accordance with the Taraba State University Law No. 4 of 2008, Section 16 sub-section (2). The Law clearly empowers the Visitor to: “As often as the circumstances may require, conduct a visitation of the University or direct that such a visitation be conducted by such persons as the Visitor”.

The Taraba State University could best be described as fledgling Since its inception in 2008 but increasingly developing. The then Government of Pharmacist Danbaba Danfulani Suntai founded and approved means to funding of the University however, due to unforeseeable financial crunch in the Government intermittently, such remittance was not as at when due. The situation created some gaps in full implementation and running of the university’s program. It is for such reasons that visitation panels are desirable and should be source of objective information for the Visitor. Such information will enable Government proffer and approve progressive, and achievable successes for the University.

Many States in Nigeria have long created State-owned universities, colleges, and many enduring tertiary institutions. In 2008 when Taraba State Government under the Administration of Pharmacist DDS created TSU, citizens home and abroad received the news with joy. The coming of Governor Dr. Kefas Agbu signaled another major development. The reduction of tuition fee for TSU students was a great relieve to parent’s particularly in the state and Nationwide.  However, looking at the Visitation Panel Terms of Reference viz-a-viz it’s report, fortunately indicated that the bulk of issues said to have been found by the panel predated the present TSU administration. Their detailed findings if looked into it properly negated among other Terms of Reference the following. 

• To investigate the leadership quality of the institution in terms of the Governing Council, the Vice-Chancellor, and other Principal Officers.
• To examine recruitment process, adequacy of staff and staff development programmes.
• To determine the relationship between the university and various statutory bodies it interacts with in accordance to the law for purpose of supervision, planning, finance, discipline, guidance and any other relationship (i.e. Governing Council, NUC and State Ministry of Education (SME) Local Government Areas and TETfund.
• To examine the general security in the university and how the management has dealt with it and recommend appropriate measures.
• To look into the financial management of the institution, including statutory allocations and Internally Generated Revenue and determine whether it was in compliance with appropriate regulations.
• To investigate the application of funds, particularly Special Grants and Loans meant for special projects in order to determine the status of such projects and their relevance for further funding.
• The Visitation Panel shall cover the period 2010 – 2023.

Sadly, the Visitation Panel was headed by a chairman whose active years politically fall within the period to be covered by the panel. Logic suggests that his rational judgement and perception of issues under review by the panel would certainly be blurred. The chairman can’t be an unbiased arbiter capable of the task anticipated having been politically involved within the time frame of the TOR. He has exhibited actions in government within that time lag that was inimical to the growth and development of the University.

Also, under him the Visitation Panel did not adopt the usual methodology of proper interfacing between the Panel and the TSU present Management for a fair hearing on some grey areas as alleged in their report. The report did not mention it either Perhaps, it was a deliberate oversight.

To this end, the Government may deem it fit to “overhaul” the present TSU system, if it will be the only way-out to solve a systemic problems of the institution. Could a chance be given to the present TSU administration, which is in its second year of its first tenure, headed by a seasoned and renowned professor, an age-long academician, and university administrator, with track record, which has proven that he is committed to evolve a transparent, durable and progressive management in The Taraba State University, TSU.