ASUCA Rejects Appointment of University Professor as College of Agriculture Provost

The Academic Staff Union of Colleges of Agriculture (ASUCA) have expressed strong objection to the recent appointment of a University Professor as the Provost/CEO, Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan.

The union made their position known through its acting National President, Comrade Williams Manggoe during a press conference held at the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Plateau State Council in Jos on Thursday.

According to the union, the appointment came as a surprise considering the advertisement in national newspapers (Nigerian Tribune, 15th November, 2024) which specifically indicated the qualification/eligibility is for Assistant Director, Associate Professor or Principal Lecturer from National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARIs) and Federal Colleges of Agriculture (FCA).

“The said University Professor was not qualified for the position based on the advertisement and couldn’t have applied. If he erroneously did, he should not have been shortlisted in the first instance and let alone invited for the interview and being considered for the appointment.

“The Union had strongly objected to the appointment of University Professors as Provost/CEO in FCA in our letter to ARCN in 2020 and had several discussions on same subject matter which led to appointments of all Provost/CEO in the past years being restricted to NARIs and FCA.

The union opined that appointments of University Professors as Provost/CEO in Colleges of Agriculture will not just cause brain drain, but it is demoralizing and a discouragement to academic staff who have given their best to rise to the zenith of their career.

“It is important to inform you that the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) had raised strong objection to the amendment of the TETFUND Bill in 2016 and 2017 to include Colleges of Agriculture. It is therefore, a misnomer for ASUU members to be the ultimate beneficiaries of the same system they denied funding.

The Union also viewed with dismay the advertisement for the position of Provost/CEO of the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Vom to include a minimum qualification of an Associate Professor.

They said based on the initial agreement and for the interest of the system, the advertisement for the position of Provost/CEO should be for qualified staff in FCA and NARIs only.

“We demand that the advertisement should be same as that of FCA, Ibadan as there has not been any new Act or Circular or Letter between the two advertisements’ dates. We consider this inclusion as a means of re-inviting University Professors into a system they are not conversant with, especially our challenges, but only interested in personal benefits after which they return to the University, leaving the Colleges of Agriculture in a deplorable state.

“The Union considers this advertisement a direct affront and gross disregard for the autonomy and unique identity of our system. The Colleges of Agriculture are distinct in mission, vision, structure and its leadership should rightly emerge from within the system. Allowing University Professors to apply for Provost/CEO in Colleges of Agriculture would undermine the career progression of Academic Staff and creates unnecessary tension, dissatisfaction, and potential instability within the system.

The union therefore, demand for an immediate reversal of the recent appointment of the Provost/CEO at the Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan and that the best and qualified staff from any of the FCA/NARIs who attended the interview should be appointed.

They also demand Withdrawal and correction of the advertisement for the position of Provost/CEO of the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Vom; and any other further advertisement, to indicate clearly that the eligibility for Provost/CEO is for qualified academic staff in Colleges of Agriculture and National Agricultural Research Institutes.

They demanded evidence of the efforts made at the Office of the Head of Service in respect to an updated SOS/COS as contained in the letter ARCN/H/01/S.7/1/143 dated 4th April, 2025, be provided.

The union also raised concerned on the continuous delay in the release of the Scheme of Service (SOS) and Condition of Service (COS) for Federal Colleges of Agriculture and Related Institutions under the purview of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) is frustrating to ASUCA members, saying the delay has resulted in the continuous use of the 2004 SOS/COS that is obsolete, deficient; and not in line with contemporary academic standards and staff progression.