The management of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO) in Benue state has dismissed as false and unfounded allegation of appointment of principal officers of the institution on ethnic or religious considerations.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Innocent Ujah, in a statement, Thursday, said the appointment of principal officers of the university was made by President Muhammadu Buhari on May 12, 2020.
Professor Ujah said the appointments were based on qualifications, experience.
competence and catchment area without compromising the federal character principle.
He listed the principal officers to include: Professor Abdullahi Alkali Abba, Pro Chancellor and Chairman of Council (Adamawa state, North-east), Professor Innocent Ujah, Vice Chancellor (Benue state, North-central), Professor Ibrahim A. Yakassai (Kano state, North-west), Professor Martins Ike-Mounso (Enugu state, South-east), Professor John Idoko (Benue state, North-central), Mr. Ola Opesan (Lagos state, South-west) and Malam Aminu Abba, Registrar and Secretary to Council (Kano state, North-west).
He said Mr. President also appointed the Emir of Zamfara, HRH Alhaji Attahiru Muhammed Ahmed, from North-west as the Chancellor of the university on July 9, 2021.
He said, “In exercise of his rights guaranteed by the University Act, the vice chancellor has the right to appoint his deputies and heads of department, directorate and unit to assist him in the day to day management of the university“.
All recruitments or appointments, the vice chancellor, stated would be based on qualifications, competence without undermining consideration for our diversity and federal character.
Professor Ujah assured that the priority of the university is to work hard to achieve academic excellence with the best hands in the world.
”We are working towards achieving a world class university that would attract the best brains from across the world. It is inconceivable and unthinkable to ascribe ethnic or religious considerations in our operations.“We are conscious of federal character and diversity of our country without compromising competence and standards. The world is our constituency. We want to achieve global academic excellence in our university. There is no basis for ethnic or religious sentiments.
“There is nothing to worry about because our activities and actions would be an open book for all to see,” he said.
Some youths who claimed to be Tiv Youth Council World wide of Benue state had at a press conference in Makurdi alleged ethnic bias in the appointment of principal officers of the university.
