The Report of the Presidential (Special) Visitation Panel to the University of Abuja, has among its findings, uncovered a gross violation of undergraduate admission procedures.
The Dr. T.C Osanakpo-led Panel, in it's report dated September, 2012, but exclusively obtained by our correspondent in Abuja on Thursday, noted among other things, that the institution had no Admissions Office and a clearly identifiable Desk Officer.
The Panel noted that the Vice-Chancellor's Office had usurped the duties and functions of the Admissions Office.
According to the report, from July 2009, the Senate Committee on Admission, which hitherto handled admissions, became extinct.
The report said, "It was also revealed to us that there are at presently, two admissions committee, namely: Central Admissions Committee and Senate Admissions Committee whose members were handpicked by the Vice-Chancellor.
"A large number of the final admission lists submitted to the panel did not have JAMB nor post-UTME scores; thus their authenticity was in doubt.
"The selection of staff/ any designated university official's biological children did not necessarily undergo scrutiny by the Deputy Registrar (Academic) to ascertain the authenticity of claims as should be the case before forwarding the requests to the Committee of Deans that approved such lists in this University.
"Consequently, the process was grossly abused. This was reinforced by the number of requests by an individual like the Bursar who sent in 118 names in 2009/2010 in addition to pressure from outside.
"The admission of post-UTME tests was not consistently done and used for admission purposes. While in some cases it was written, in others it was either oral or not done at all. It is clear that the admissions based on 40 per cent of the total were solely handled by the Vice-Chancellor's Office (which should not be so) after Department and Faculty recommendations of the first 60 per cent.
"Only the first 60 per cent of admissions adhered to the JAMB Admission categories of merit, catchment and ELDS to a large extent, while there was no evidence of how the balance of 40 per cent was done, except for staff and some concessional requests from outside the University.
"Nonetheless, the 40 per cent often exceeded by a large percentage of the carrying capacity of the university. It is, therefore, safe to say that the second – tier admission exercise for a so-called 40 per cent violated JAMB guidelines in every respect."
The Committee also noted that there was a gross imbalance between facilities and users (students and staff alike) in terms of lecture halls, staff offices and laboratories.
It also uncovered evidence of confirmation of results administratively on behalf of the Senate by the Vice-Chancellor without due diligence and authorisation. It cited the case of the graduation of 31 unqualified students from the Department of English.
