The Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences (FCIS), University of Ilorin has raised alarm over inadequate teaching staff for some of its professional courses, saying many of the academic staff have been snatched by multinational companies especially in the telecommunication industry.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on the 5th anniversary celebration of the faculty, the Dean of the Faculty, Professor Lenrie Aina, said multinational companies which pay professionals in the telecommunication and information disciplines have weakened the quality of academic staff.

According to him, some of the best hands in the industry prefer to work in the multinational companies where they would be paid more than what a University Vice-Chancellor earns instead of being in the academia.

Aina, the immediate past President of the Nigeria Library Association (NLA) said issue of staff recruitment had also stalled commencement of its postgraduate programme.

Besides, the dean noted that the challenge of inadequate staff facing the faculty had constrained it from admitting many students, disclosing that 6000 students annually jostle for less than 200 slots in the whole faculty.

He said: "Staff recruitment is our major challenge. The problem is getting high calibre, experienced and intellectual staff. This is because there is no money here. Multinational companies like MTN and the likes have snatched them.

"Also, there is no training ground for most of our postgraduate courses. Some of our lecturers go abroad for further training, whereas their counterparts in other faculties can go to any university in Nigeria for training."

He, however, said the university authority is determined to improve on the present situation, despite problems of funding and irregular power supply, among others.

He said the faculty is making a case to the university authority to give special salary to members of staff in the faculty to attract the best in the industry.

The faculty established five years ago offered five courses including Mass Communication, Library and Information Sciences, Telecommunication Sciences, Computer Sciences and Information and Communication Sciences.