FG will implement fully recommendations of visitation panels to universities — Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday disclosed that the visitation panels approved to all Federal Universities and InterUniversity Centres will soon submit their report, assuring that the government is committed to the full implementation of all acceptable recommendations of the panels.

President Buhari was a visitor to the University of Lagos at the grand finale of its 51st (2019) convocation ceremony where a total of 148 bagged Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D).

The President was represented by the Executive Secretary of National University Commission (NUC), Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, at the ceremony that also witnessed the conferment of Emeritus Professorship (posthumous) and honorary doctorate degrees to eminent Nigerians.

He said the federal government had approved visitation panels to all its universities to access the performance of the institutions and what they required to confront current challenges.

Buhari reiterated that upon submission of the panels’ reports, government will immediately come up with its position on the various recommendations.

While he recollected the recent council/ management crisis in UNILAG in 2020, he commended the Senate for its maturity and decision to send a delegation on the matter, which led to the setting up of a Special Visitation Panel to investigate the crisis.

The recommendations of the panel according to him were implemented to restore peace to the University, noting that part of the restoration process was the appointment of a new governing council under the chairmanship of distinguished Senator Lanre Tejuosu.

He, therefore, urged all stakeholders within and outside the university to do everything, within the law, to ensure that peace reigns on the campus at all times so that the noble task of nation building and problem solving may continue unabated.

The Governor of Borno State, Babagana Umara Zulum, who also attended the convocation ceremony, congratulated the graduands while he commended the honorary doctorate degree conferred on Alhaji Muhammadu Indimi, an oil mogul, entrepreneur, philanthropist and founder of Oriental Energy Resources Limited.

Zulum, who encouraged the university to promote research areas that will enhance peace, unity and economic growth of the country, commended the good work being done by UNILAG and disclosed that his government will soon send a minimum of 200 Borno indigenes to study post-graduate programmes at UNILAG.

The Chancellor, His Royal Eminence, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, Shehu of Borno, congratulated all the graduands, charging them to make a difference wherever they find themselves.

The new Pro-chancellor, Senator Lanre Tejuoso, reiterated his commitment to accelerating the institution to a more enviable height

Moruf Rasheed Olatunji who studied Marine Sciences emerged the overall best Ph.D Thesis award winner as well as best Ph.D Thesis in Sciences while Peter Ekundayo of the Department of Economics emerged best Ph.D Thesis in Humanities.