Bauchi Dangote Nursing College Students Protest Against Provost Reappointment

By Khalid Idris Doya

Students of Aliko Dangote College of Nursing and Midwifery in Bauchi Monday staged a protest against the reappointment of the Institution’s provost, Rakiya Saleh, saying she didn’t deserve to be reappointed.

The students argued that the provost reappointment as directed by the Secretary to the Bauchi state Government, Barrister Ibrahim Kashim Mohammed is not in tandem with laid down procedures establishing the college.

The students who blocked the road in front of the school for a few minutes to express their grievances.

Speaking with Journalists during a protest, one of the branch officials of the Nigeria Nurse Educators Union, Comrade Funmilayo Abubakar said that the tenure of the Provost Rakiya Saleh has expired on the 6th of July 2022, they want due process to be followed in appointing a new Provost.

Fumilayo Abubakar Sani, the office of the SSG should allow the college’s overseeing Ministry of Health to set the procedures for the appointment of the provost, subject to the approval of the state governor.

She accused the SSG for highhandedness in the appointment of the college provost without necessarily following the due process, and therefore kicked against the SSG directive for the college management to reappoint the former provost on acting capacity.

“We a constitution guiding this College which says that when a tenure expires, an acting Provost will be appointed and it must be the Deputy Provost who should act,” she said.

She further said, deputy provost Malam Haruna Burra was appointed as acting Provost and she handed over to him, “but to our greatest surprise, this morning we came to the school and we were told that, with due respect to the office of the SSG, we should leave sentiments aside, the SSG should leave us alone, this is not a political office, it is an institution”. 

“As contained in the laws of the College, the position must be advertised for interested candidates, that is the due process which must be followed. Her tenure just finished this 6th July, why is the SSG giving instruction to the Head of Service when we are answerable to the Ministry of Health, he should allow them to do their job. We are sick and tired.”

While speaking on the protest, the College Chief Security Officer, Hamza Abubakar told the press that the students protest took him unaware when surprisingly heard shouts of students within the institution’s premises.

He said, “I came to the college today early in the morning and I was subsequently invited to the Ministry of Health where we had very important meeting”.

“What I actually know is that we have a provost whose tenure has expired, but she was later reappointed as acting provost. So after the meeting I came back to the college when suddently while I was in office I heard the shouts of students within the premises”.

Chief Security Officer Abubakar added, “Iam not aware about this issue of protest by students, so when I came out from office, I simply delve in by controlling the students in one place trying to find out from them what’s the matter is all about”.

“What I know about the appointment of a provost is on tenure basis, but her tenure has expired and she has already handed over the reins of office to the most senior in the college. But there is the possibility to renew the appointment, as there is also the need to place advert in newspapers for new appointment”.

“Following the advert placement, applicants could be called for interview and whoever scaled would be appointed as provost of the college”.
The security chief concluded, “But we got a message from above, specifically a directive from the Secretary to the State Government that the former provost should be reappointed as acting provost”.

The Deputy Provost Mallam Haruna Burra who was acting before now corroborated the development saying that he was invited to a meeting at the Ministry of Health where he was verbally directed to handover back to Rakiya Sale as the Acting Provost based on a directive from the office of the SSG. 

“I am a civil servant, and I am ready to obey directives. I am preparing my handover notes and insha Allah, I will do that very soon to handover to her, in fact the only thing that is delaying me is the financial records because the development came suddenly”. 

All efforts to get reaction from the former now Acting Provost, Rakiya Saleh proved abortive as her phone was switched off as of the time of filling the report.