Abuja – The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, said on Tuesday in Abuja that anyone found guilty of misdeeds in tertiary institutions would be sanctioned.
Adamu made this known while receiving the reports of the ad hoc committees on investigation of petitions in some tertiary institutions.
Adamu had on Dec. 10, inaugurated ad hoc committees to investigate petitions brought against 10 tertiary institutions across the country.
Adamu had said the move was in response to allegations bordering on abuse of due process, mismanagement, immorality, fraud and corruption, among others.
The institutions involved were Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, Kastina State; Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State; University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom, and Federal University, Kashere, Gombe State.
Others are University of Abuja, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, University of Calabar; Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State; Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State and Yaba College of Technology, Lagos State.
Receiving the reports, Adamu expressed optimism that the panels got to the root of the petitions and proffered far-reaching recommendations that would assist the Federal Government in resolving the contending issues.
He assured the members of the committees that the ministry would not treat their reports with levity.
“We will look at each and every recommendation and translate them into concrete decisions that would have positive impact on our institutions.
“We will not spare anybody found guilty of the misdeeds they are accused of committing.
“No injustice will be allowed to continue uncorrected.
“Our quest to turn around the fortunes of the education sector will continue to elude us, if we allow indiscipline, irregularities and impunity to continue in our institutions.’’
The minister urged the chief executives, governing councils and managements of higher institutions to comply with the statutes of their institutions.
He warned that deviation from the rule would not be tolerated, adding that perpetrators would be sanctioned in accordance with the law.
The panels that visited Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, and Federal Polytechnic, Oko, were not present to submit their reports.
In his remarks, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, the Minister of State for Education, said that the committees’ reports would expose the root cause of problems in higher institutions.
He assured the panels that their reports would not be treated as mere formalities.
Earlier, while presenting his report, Prof. Godwin Nsofor, the Chairman of the ad hoc committee that investigated the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, thanked the minister for the opportunity given them to serve.
He said that the lost glory of Nigeria’s tertiary institutions would be restored, if the reports were keenly studied and the recommendations judiciously implemented.
