President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved several key appointments to strengthen the leadership of some of Nigeria’s federal universities and key communication agencies.
The appointments were announced to fill vacancies and reconstitute boards to improve governance and service delivery. The President appointed Chisom Obih to the Governing Council of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State, filling a vacancy left by the death of a previous member.
Also, renowned communications scholar, Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye, was named to the Governing Council of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. Akinfeleye, a former Head of the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos, chairs the Centre of Excellence in Multimedia and Cinematography and oversees UNILAG Radio 103.1 FM and Television.
For the newly established Federal University of Health Sciences and Technology, Tsafe, Zamfara State, President Tinubu has named Prof. Ibrahim Adamu Yakasai as Vice Chancellor.
Other key appointments for the institution include Hamisu Yusuf Yelwa as registrar, Usman Nakazalle Sanusi as bursar and Dr. Shehu Aminu Liman as librarian.Yakasai, a retired Nigerian Army Colonel, is currently the Provost of the College of Health Sciences at Bayero University, Kano, and a Governing Council member of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State.
In a related development, President Tinubu has approved the new boards of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF). Idris Olorunnimbe was appointed Chairman of the NCC, while Dr. Aminu Wada will continue in his role as Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Wada was appointed in October 2023 and confirmed by the Senate the following month.
The USPF Board was also reconstituted with Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, as Chairman and Olorunnimbe as Vice Chairman.Other members of the USPF Board include Oshidami, Makama, Aliyu Edogi Aliyu representing the FMCIDE, Joseph B. Faluyi representing the Federal Ministry of Finance, Auwal Mohammed representing the FMBNP, Uzoma Dozie, Peter Bankole, Abayomi Anthony Okanlawon, Gafar Oluwasegun Quadri; and the USPF Secretary.
The USPF was established with the goal of expanding access to information and communication technologies in rural, unserved, and underserved areas across Nigeria.
