The Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) has suspended the Governing Board of Federal College of Agricultural Produce Technology (FCAPT), Kano.
The suspension came two days after the board suspended the college’s provost, Dr. Mohammed Yusha’u Gwaram, over allegations of “forgery, perjury and flagrant disobedience to the board.”
The provost’s suspension was contained in a letter with reference FCAPT/BM/Vol.1/011 dated April 29 2021 and signed by the board chairman Ambassador Abubakar Shehu Wurno.
In the letters, the board accused the provost of implementing the 2020 budget and appointing a deputy provost without its knowledge and approval.
It also accused the provost of fraudulently writing a backdated letter to the Accountant General of the Federation to vacate the interjection placed on him by the board, and demanding full payment of his salary.
The board said it acted in line with public service Rule 030406 in suspending the provost.
However, just when the dust of the suspension was about to settle, ARCN in a letter dated April 30, 2021, and signed by its Executive Secretary, Prof. Garba Hamidu Sharubutu, announced the suspension of the governing board, and appointment of Dr. Alimi Halima Modupeore as the acting provost and Nuhu Lawal as the acting Registrar, respectively.
The letter also stated that the suspension of the board was on the directives of Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono.
The board chairman, however, described the suspension by ARCN as “strange and alarming,”
He said ARCN has no legal right to suspend the board of another parastatal, which is not under it.
