BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE
BENIN – THE Federal Government has frowned at what it described as lopsided recruitment and promotions of staff by the University of Benin, UNIBEN, in favour of the Benin ethnic group, saying that it amounted to a flagrant abuse of the federal character of the institution.

The position of government was contained in the report of the Visitation Panel on the university which was made available to newsmen in Benin Thursday.

According to the Report, an academic community like UNIBEN, should de-emphasise ethnic considerations during recruitment and promotions of staff, advising that foreigners and people from other ethnic extractions should be recruited and promoted appropriately.

Frowning over what it described as ”academic parochialism,” the report noted that the university also over spent its budget by N267.712 million between 2004 and 2010 which was the period covered by the Visitation Panel.

The Visitor to the University, “has frowned at academic parochialism at the University and therefore directs (the Governing) Council to ensure that management complies with the policy of Federal Character in staff matters,” the Report stated.

It will be recalled that the Federal Government, through the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruquyyatu Ahmed Rufai set up a Visitation Panels into all federal universities in February, 2011.

The Visitation Panel Report which was said to have been presented at a recent Senate meeting of the University by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Osayuki Oshodin indicated that from 2009 to date, the authorities of the university embarked on extensive recruitment and promotions of 257 new staff who were mostly from the Benin ethnic group.

The Report stated that additional 518 staff were recruited into the academic, senior non-academic and junior categories on temporary and contract basis without adequate budgetary provisions to accommodate the increase in staff.

Against this backdrop, the Visitor to the University then directed management of the University to ensure that all appointments and promotions during any financial year were “within the establishment needs and appropriated for.”

Apart from recruitments and promotions, the Visitation Panel’s report also observed with great concern ”that the University leadership from 2004 – 2010,” had not taken issue of updating their publications seriously.

Efforts to speak with the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oshiodin failed as he would not pick calls on his GSM telephone just as the university’s spokesman, Mr Harris Osarenren GSM telephone was switched off.

However, officials of the Federal Character Commission,FCC, who spoke to Vanguard in Benin on condition of anonymity said, though they had received unofficial reports about alleged breach of federal character in employment and promotions at the UNIBEN, the Commission could not act until a formal compliant was made to it.