ENGR. PROF. ONGOEBI MAUREEN O. ETEBU
FNSE,FNIM,FNIMechE, FICAD, FCIOTA, PFECRMI, FICAN, FIMC, FCIHRSM, FIMS
B.Sc-Chemical Engineering, USA, PGD-Mechanical Engineering NIG., M.Sc-Chemical Engineering, NIG., M.Sc-Industrial Engineering, USA, M.Sc-Mechanical Engineering (Thermo-Fluids Engineering) NIG., MBA-Management, NIG., Ph.D-Industral Engineering, NIG., Ph.D-Mechanical Engineering (Thermo-Fluids Engineering) NIG., Ph.D-Mechanical Engineering (Energy and Power) UK.
Chairperson, 12th Governing Council, The Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti.
COMPOSITION OF THE CURRENT GOVERNING COUNCIL
By the provision of Decree 33 of 1979 and Cap F17 of the Amended Act, 2019, the 17 number Governing Council consist of the Chairman, fifteen other members with the Registrar as Secretary to the Governing Council
The composition of the Governing Council as in the Amended Act of 2019 presently comprise of the following for the eleventh Governing Council of the Polytechnic:
(a) a Chairman – ; an experienced Academic, a scholar and an administrator from Bayelsa State
(b) four persons representing a variety of interest and broadly representative of the whole Federation, one of whom shall be a woman;
Bar (Mrs Tina Agbor
Hon Aminu Tekware
Hon(Bar) Sola Elesin
Arc. Taiwo Kara
(c) one person to represent the Alumni Association; Dr (Surv. Augustine Abiodun
(d) a representative of Ado-Ekiti community – Prof Mojisola Oyarekhua
(e) the Rector – incumbent is Dr. T J Alake
(f) the Deputy Rector (Administration),
Dr Michael Akinola
(g) the Deputy Rector (Academics),
(h) one person representing the Federal Ministry of Education –
Barr ( Mrs) Eunice Ike
* two persons, not below the rank of Chief Lecturer, elected by the Academic Board from among its members:
(i) ;Dr Adebayo Oguntuase
(j) Engr (Mrs) Adeola Adebayo
* three persons, not below the rank of Senior Lecturer or its equivalent, elected by the Congregation from its members in which one shall be a Non- teaching Staff;
(k) Dr Olabisi Olasehinde
(l) Mr Lawrence Adepoju
(m)
(n) Registrar as Secretary
Mr O K Babalola
Ag Registrar
POWERS OF COUNCIL
Council is the legal entity, which can sue and be sued.
Section 3-(1) of the Act provides that: “There shall be established………………………A Council with perpetual succession and a Common seal and may sue and be sued in its corporate name”.
Although the enabling law states that “the Polytechnic shall have such powers and exercise such functions as specified” the realities are that, it is the Council that is vested with all powers. Accordingly, the Governing Council is empowered “to do anything which in its opinion is calculated to facilitate the carrying out of the activities of the Polytechnic and promote its best interest”.
A major feature of the enabling Law is the tremendous Powers vested in the Governing Council as the Legal Personality. Section 5(2) provides that Council may acquire movable or immovable Property and could sell, lease or mortgage or otherwise alienate or dispose of such Property in its best interest.
Council is also empowered to give directions to the Academic Board on Academic matters. Section 10(2) (b) states that the Academic Board shall be responsible for:
(a) the making to the Council of such periodic reports or such Academic Matters as the Academic Board may think fit or as the Council may from time to time direct; and
(b) the discharge of any other Functions which Council may delegate to it.
In other Tertiary educational institutions, the Academic Board counterpart such as Senate in the University for example, is the Supreme Authority on Academic matters. The previous Councils indeed, maintained this position and supported the Academic Board on Students’ Matters.
STAFF MATTERS
The responsibility for Appointment, Promotion and Discipline of Staff is shared by the Council and the Rector. Council is vested with the power to appoint the Principal Officers (other than the Rector who is appointed by the Government), all Teaching Staff and all Senior Non-Teaching and Technical Staff. For the appointment of Principal Officers, the Chairman of Council presides at the selection interview.
Section 7(4) provides that:
The Chairman of Council shall be the Chairman of Appointments and Promotions Committee when the Committee sits for the purpose of appointment of Deputy Rector, Registrar and Bursar” (and the Polytechnic Librarian.
But paragraph 3(2) (a) under the schedule to the enabling Law provides that the Appointments and Promotions Committee which shall without prejudice to section 7 (4)
“Consists of a Chairman to be appointed by the Rector from members of the Senior Staff of the Polytechnic and four other members who shall be appointed by the Council”.
By this provision, the Rector is empowered to appoint the Chairman for the Appointments and Promotions Committee for the purpose of appointing and promoting Teaching and Non-Teaching Senior Staff of the Polytechnic. The Policy however is that the Rector himself/herself presides over the affairs of the Committee in line with Section 9.01 of the guidelines for the Management of Federal Polytechnics issued by the Federal Ministry of Education and Youth Development. The Committee, whether under the Chairmanship of the Governing Council Chairman or the Rector is expected to make recommendations to Council for approval.
DISCIPLINE OF STAFF
Section 12 (2) says “If it appears to Council that there are reasons for believing that any person employed as a member of the Teaching, Non-Teaching or Technical Staff of the Polytechnic other than the Rector should be removed from Office on the grounds of misconduct or inability to perform the functions of his office, Council shall…”
By the provisions above, which run through Nos 1-6 of section 12, Council is empowered to discipline any member of Senior Staff.
These provisions are not peculiar to the Federal Polytechnics. Similar provisions are contained in the Laws establishing other Higher Educational Institutions. On the other hand, the Rector is empowered to discipline Students and Junior Staff.
