The union also faulted the promotion of the Minister to professor of cyber security by the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State.
The National Executive Council Committee of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says there is no document to prove that the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami is a cyber security expert.
The union also faulted the promotion of the Minister to professor of cyber security by the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State.
In September 2021, the Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, placed commercials in newspapers congratulating Pantami on his promotion to a Professor of Cybersecurity.
Pantami was among seven Readers (Associate Professors) promoted to Professor by the Governing Council of Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) at its 186th meeting held on August 20, 2021.
Since then, FUTO and Pantami have both been at the end of public criticism over the circumstances surrounding the minister’s promotion to the highest academic rank in the institution.
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Also, last Monday, ASUU declared the promotion as illegal at a press conference addressed by the President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke.
Meanwhile, a probe panel set up by the FUTO Chapter of ASUU had claimed the university followed due process in the appointment of the minister as Professor of Cyber Security.
However, a report from the NEC Committee, which was obtained by SaharaReporters on Monday, exposed the lack of documents to show that Pantami was an expert in cyber security.
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According to the report, the minister's CV and report establishing his prima facie alongside the external assessors' report were all hidden indicating a cover-up.
The report stated, “There is no document indicating that Dr. Ibrahim was an expert in cyber security. His CV and the report establishing his prima facie case and the external assessors' report all remain hidden. This is an indication that something is being covered up.”
Meanwhile, the report noted that only one person established prima facie for Pantami as opposed to the rules and regulations of the university.
Also, ASUU argued further that Pantami was never qualified to be appointed as a professor, stressing that he doesn't “possess the leadership quality and experience expected of a professor who should be a mentor to others."
Also, the report said Pantami never supervised or produced a PhD student and never held an administrative position in the university. It noted that even the PhD student assigned to him to co-supervise was done on the 9th September 2021 after his appointment as a professor.
The report also noted that the minister did not meet the 12 years post qualification requirement in the advertisement as he only had one year of post PhD teaching experience.
It added: “From available information, the publications of Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim did not go through similarity index (Turn-it-in), a condition that he was to meet. The turn-it-in process was established in 2018 and it has since been in use for every case of appointment and promotion in FUTO.”