Gov Bala Approves 7-Member Visitation Panel For ASCOEA For Comprehensive Review

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has approved the constitution and appointment of a seven-member Visitation Panel to undertake a comprehensive review of the affairs and operations of Aminu Saleh College of Education, Azare (ASCOEA).

A statement issued on Wednesday by the governor’s spokesperson, Mukhtar Gidado, said the panel was constituted pursuant to the governor’s statutory powers as Visitor to the college.

According to the statement, the exercise is aimed at strengthening accountability, academic excellence, administrative efficiency and institutional development at the college.

Gidado said the constitution of the panel had become particularly important following the approval of the Dual Mandate System for the college, which empowers it to run both Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and degree programmes.

He said the visitation would, among other things, assess the college’s institutional readiness, infrastructure, human resource capacity and academic systems to enable it effectively discharge its expanded mandate.

The panel is chaired by Prof. Muhammad Ahmad Abdulaziz, former Vice-Chancellor of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi.

Other members are Prof. Demo Kalla of ATBU; Dr. (Arc.) Habu Yusuf Abba of Sa’adu Zungur University and former Head of the Public Works Department, ATBU; Hon. Usman Danturaki, Special Adviser on Labour Matters; Barr. M.U. Usman, Deputy Director, Ministry of Justice; and Lawan Bello, former Director, Office of the Accountant-General.

The director, Administration and Human Resources, Ministry of Higher Education, will serve as Secretary to the panel.

The state government urged the Governing Council, management, staff, students, unions and other stakeholders of the college to extend their full cooperation to the panel to enable it successfully discharge its mandate.

The statement added that the visitation panel would be inaugurated by the governor at a later date.