Reps urge universities to avoid undue delay, frustration of students’ research work

The House of Representatives Committee on University Education has warned the management of Nigerian universities against frustrating both undergraduate and postgraduate students over Projects, Thesis, Dissertations and other research-related issues.

Chairman, House Committee on University Education, Abubakar Hassan Fulata gave the warning following an allegation that a lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria died of depression due to his inability to complete PhD programme after 13 years.

The committee which has visited several federal universities in the last 3 months was in ABU Zaria this week.

Muazu Muhammed Ahmad, a Lecturer at the English Language Department at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, died a few months ago due to alleged depression suffered at the hands of his PhD supervisor. According to the allegation, he was admitted for PhD in 2011 and 13 years later, he was unable to complete the study.

Fulata told Prof. Kabiru Bala, Vice Chancellor, ABU Zaria that the management of the school should ensure that supervisors assigned to supervise both undergraduate and postgraduate students’ research work do not harass, intimidate and frustrate them.

He also appealed to the management of other universities in the country to ensure that students graduate at the appropriate time.

Fulata also noted that several federal universities his committee visited do not comply with federal character principles with respect to recruitment.

He urged the Federal University of Health Sciences Azare, Bauchi State, Federal University Dutsin-ma, Katsina State and other new universities to ensure they comply with federal character principles in recruitment.

Federal University of Health Sciences Azare and Federal University Dutsin-ma were among the universities the committee visited this week.