The Governor’s latest move follows the inability of the Faculty of Medicine to get accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC).
NUC had on February 26 released the list of universities in the country running degree courses without accreditation.
All other faculties in the state-owned university passed all the accreditation standards of the NUC save its Faculty of Medicine.
In reaction to the development, the Governor has directed the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Folashade Ayoade Arike, to constitute a 16-man committee to look into options before it as recommended by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Haruna Audu.
The recommendations, as contained in a press release by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Odaudu Joel, include the following:
Need to retrieve a comprehensive checklist from NUC/MDCN on accreditation requirements for the establishment of the clinical wing/ Teaching Hospital for the training of medical students up to 600 Level as this will assist the state government in making a holistic plan and budget.
That a committee of stakeholders be constituted to look into the various options available to provide clinical training for our medical students in line with NUC/MDCN regulations.
That the committee examines the following options and recommend the cheapest, quickest, most effective and sustainable solution to the State Executive council for onward action:
The first option contained in the statement is the renovation, remodelling and upgrading of KSUTH to a standard teaching hospital. The committee is expected to brief the council on the cost implication including staffing and equipment in facts and figures; the second option involves completing the abandoned project at the permanent site of the teaching hospital in Anyigba. The committee is mandated to brief the council on the cost implication including staffing and equipment in facts and figures.
The third option is considering affiliation with existing standard hospitals within the State particularly Federal Medical Center, Lokoja. The committee is expected to brief the council on the cost implication including staffing and equipment in facts and figures while the fourth option is considering exploiting a private public partnership, PPP, arrangement with a willing private organisation. The committee is expected to brief the council on the cost implication.
Meanwhile, Governor Bello had on February 14 constituted a Visitation Panel of 8-man technical and professional strength with total compliance with NUC standards headed by a former Vice Chancellor of the Osun State University and present Provost of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) Academy, Prof. Olusola Akinrinde.
The panel is expected to carry out the following assignment: to inquire into the level of implementation of the White Paper on the last Visitation Report, if any; To look into the leadership quality of the university in terms of the roles of the Governing Council, the Vice-Chancellor and other Principal Officers; To look into the financial management of the University, including statutory allocations and Internally Generated Revenue; To investigate the application of funds, particularly the Special Grants, Loans, meant for specific projects; To examine the adequacy of the Staff and Staff Development Programmes in the university.
Additionally, the Visitation Panel is expected to: determine the relationship between the University and the various statutory bodies it interacts with; determine the ‘Law’ establishing the University, including the relationship between the various internal organs, units and officers and indicate ways the Law has been observed; to trace the historical evolution of the University and take stock of its net achievements and problems; to examine the general security of the University, how it has dealt with it and recommend appropriate measures to deal with it and to examine the processes and structures of the mechanisms of discipline of students in the University.
The panel members outside the chairman include: Prof. (Mrs) Ande Jane – Chartered Accountant Prof Yilkur N. Lohdip – Director of Academic Planning, Dr. Ruqayyat Guri – Director, Student Support Services, NUC, Barr. Femi Adegboyega – State Legal Adviser, Arc. Tade Aimola – Architect, Barr. Jili Dandam – Former Registrar and Mr. Ajode Benjamin – Deputy Director in SSG’s Office and Panel Secretary.
The statement noted that the steps taken were towards revitalizing and repositioning the institution for strong academic excellence even as it enjoined students and academics to ‘’bear with the state government as the steps are taken to make the institution worthy of emulation in no distant time.
