The Presidential Visitation Panel of the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State has commenced its assignment with several visits to stakeholders in the region.
The Panel comprising of high profile and notable Nigerians is chaired by Professor Imaculata I Nwokoro, with Mal. Haruna Ajo as its Secretary. Other members of the panel include Barr Timipa Jenkins Okponipere, Professor Elizabeth Amuta, Hon. Saliu Abdulkareem, Mal. Jibril T. Yakubu and Barr. Johannes Oluwatobi Wojuola.
Following the inauguration of the Presidential Panels to all Federal Universities and Inter-University Centres in Nigeria, the Panel to the Federal University, Otuoke has paid engagement visits to various stakeholders in the South South region, including former President Goodluck Jonathan and the Governor of Bayelsa State, Sen. Douye Diri.
During the panel’s visit to former President Goodluck Jonathan, the Chairman of the Panel, Professor Imaculata Nwokoro appreciated the former President for his interventions in the education sector.
She commended the former President for setting up 12 Universities across the various regions of the country, particularly the Federal University, Otuoke.
Prof. Imaculata used the occasion to call on stakeholders, staff and students of the University to submit memoranda on the University, on issues ranging from its governance, to its finance, to it its establishing laws among others.
“We are not here to witch-hunt anybody. We are not an audit firm.
“We are here to review the activities of the University since it was set up, in order to improve the state of the University. We can only do this if we get the necessary support from the public, through submitted memos and even oral submissions.
“In the course of our visitation we will be meeting with the various organs of governance in the University as well as students and stakeholders. All these would be geared towards taking a report back to the President who has sent us on this assignment. We therefore seek the cooperation of everyone.” she noted.
In response, former President Goodluck Jonathan welcomed the Panel to Bayelsa State, stating that their assignment was as important as “quality control, to ensure that standards are maintained.”
He called on stakeholders to support the Panel’s work, stating that they are “not coming to find faults..”
The former President went further to note that the 12 Universities he set up were aimed at being decent environments that they could be proud of.
He called for special funding and extra provisions by TETFUND for new Universities so that they can measure up to the standards of their counterparts.
The Panel also visited the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, Sen. Douye Diri, where he stated the importance of education and that he would provide the Panel all the necessary support they needed for the proper execution of their work.
The Presidential Visitation Panel also paid a visit to the Paramount Ruler of Otuoke Kingdom, HRH Paul A. Engoye.