Information reaching Rainbowradioonline.com has it that parliament has suspended the passage of the Public Universities Bill.
This comes after a meeting between Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and some stakeholders from the education sector Wednesday morning.
From what this website has gathered, the suspension of work on the bill is to allow time for the stakeholders to study the new version of the bill and revert to the committee by Tuesday with any additional inputs.
Parliament on Tuesday, approved the Public University Bill at the second reading stage.
The bill seeks to harmonise the structures for the administration of public universities.
However, the Minority raised concerns over the bill.
The Minority said they will only support the passage of the Bill depending on consultation from groups that wrote to them during the period of recess by the House.
“I must say that stakeholder consultation is very important in the work we do as Parliament that is why article 106 of the 1992 constitution requires that we invite a public memorandum and these are stakeholders who are affected by the Bill and therefore an assurance for the Education Minister that they will be thoroughly engaged and the report of same be submitted to Parliament either than that, we are unable to support this Bill,” Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said.
When passed, the Bill will give the government power to appoint the majority of members of the University Council.
The Council then has the power to appoint and fire public university officials.
The Bill also gives the President the power to dissolve the University Council which will now have the power to appoint a chancellor.
It further gives effect to the University Council to control the finances of the university and determine the allocation of funds.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com
