Aright group, Equity Alliance, has asked the federal government to sanction lecturers of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Gusau, for insubordination and acts of sabotage of the Federal Government’s efforts to reposition education in the state and region.
Equity Alliance at a press conference in Kaduna at the weekend said, the move by the FCE’ Gusau’s lecturers under the aegis of COEASU to suspend academic activities over the appointment of a female Provost, was a deliberate act of sabotage against the Federal Government’s conscious effort at promoting female education in Gusau and the entire northwest.
Addressing journalists, the national chairman of Equity Alliance, Hon. Magaji A. Baba, said the lecturers’ action, was sponsored by some of the applicants who applied for the position of the institution’s provostship and failed.
Baba said Equity Alliance had earlier in August 2023, petitioned the Federal Ministry of Education, when it thought that the claim of the COEASU that, the appointed Provost, Dr. Hauwa Mukhar Abdulkarim was not qualified for the job was a genuine one.
According to him, “The Federal Ministry of Education in its response to our petition against the appointment of Dr. Hauwa Abdulkarim by the institution’s Governing Council, said her appointment followed due process.
“The Ministry’s response in the letter with reference number; SAF.36/S.545/Vol.IV/133 and dated 8th September, 2023, said ‘the Federal Ministry of Education, after thorough investigation has not found any fault in the decision of the Governing Council of the Federal College of Education (Technical) Gusau, having exercised due diligence in the process that culminated in the appointment of Dr. (Mrs.) Hauwa Mukhtar Abdulkarim as the substantive Provost of the Institution.”
He said: “The letter went further to say that; ‘in furtherance of peace and progress of the Institution, the Ministry advises that you and other aggrieved individuals cooperate with the new Provost in repositioning the College for greatness.”
Equity Alliance national chairman, however, expressed disappointment that lecturers of an institution in a state and region where female attendance of higher education is very poor could be hiding under flimsy reasons to kick against the appointment of a female Provost.
While noting what he described as evident academic qualifications of Dr. Hauwa Abdulkarim to lead FCE Gusau, Baba described her appointment as apt, as she serves as a shining light and good role model for girls in Zamfara and the entire North-West region to emulate and go to school.
He however called on the Federal Government to direct the lecturers to end their ‘selfish’ suspension of academic activities or make them face appropriate sanctions for insubordination and sabotage.
