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The federal government
yesterday inaugurated
visitation panels to probe the public funds, resources and expenses of all federal universities in the last five years.
Daily Trust gathered that 61 federal institutions are to be probed under the manda-tory exercise, which is undertaken every five years.
Inaugurating the visitation panels in Abuja yesterday, the minister of education, Prof Fabian Osuji, said the exercise will cover 1999 to 2003 and will last one month.
He said the visitation exercise should not be seen as a witch hunt,” neither is it a panorama for mudslinging, nor a jamboree for unnecessary and wasteful expenditure. It is also not a law court, it is a fact finding exercise.”
According to him, the terms of reference are to determine the relationship between the institution and the various statutory bodies it interacts with according to the laws for purposes of supervision, planning, fina-nce, discipline, guidance etc and look into the roles of governing councils, the hea-ds of institutions and other principal officers.
Others are to look into the financial management of the institutions over the recommended period and determine whether it was in compliance with appropriate regulations; and investigate the application of funds, particularly the special grants and loans meant for specific projects in order to determine the status of such projects and their relevance for further funding.
The panels are also empowered to examine the law establishing the instit-ution and see in what ways the law has been observed in all ramifications by the competent authorities and also suggest any necessary modifications to the law in order to enable the institution better achieve its objectives.
The panel will also study the general atmosphere of the institutions over the period in question, in particular, the general conduct and comportment of all the personnel of the institution, especially the students, staff and managers, and advise as to whether the correct training is being given and how necessary corrections may be made.
The panel will examine all the academic programmes, policies and practices as well as the total academic and physical development perfor-mance and direction of the institutions and advise as to whether the desired targets have been met and how modifications may be made to achieve maximum academic productivity, excellence and service to the nation.
They will also study in detail, the management, structure and performance of the institutions including fiscal, administrative, personnel and welfare policies, and advise on ways to cut costs, reduce waste and continue to develop, if necessary by adaptation, rather than expansion in the face of attenuated resources.
The minister said the present administration has expended much more public funds on the higher education sub-sector than any administration before it.
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