The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ABU

  • ABU confirms death of two lecturers in auto crash

    ABU confirms death of two lecturers in auto crash

    It was a weekend of mourning at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria after two of its lecturers and a yet-to-be-identified person were confirmed killed in auto crash on Friday.

    The two lecturers were of the institution’s Department of Theatre and Performing Arts. The dead are Prof Samuel Kafewo and Dr. Martin Adegba both of whom were returning to Zaria after featuring on an AIT programme.

    Another occupant of the vehicle and a lecturer in the same department, were injured in the accident and are currently on admission at the National Hospital, Abuja.

    Director of Information of the University, Dr. Ismaila Shehu who confirmed the incident told The Nation that they were yet to identify the corpse of the third person.

    Dr. Shehu described the incident as shocking and unbelievable, saying “we are still in shock. We don’t have the details yet, but I can tell you that we lost Kafewo and Dr. Martin. Prof. Jenkins is seriously injured and is in hospital.”

    The lecturers had been working with the McArthur Foundation to build a Centre of Excellence for Development Communication in the university which was recently commissioned by the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Amina Namadi Sambo.

    Reacting to the development, the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the institution, Prof. Kabir Aliyu said the deceased were committed academics and colleagues who worked hard to improve the standard of learning in the university.

    “We are shocked by this unfortunate development. They are committed academics and had gone for a programme aimed at improving their department. All of them, including the injured are from the same department,” Prof Aliyu said.

    “Two of our PG students were also involved. One of them died and the other is critically injured. We pray for the repose of the soul of those that died and quick recovery for those injured.”

     

  • ABU elevates 23 to professors

    ABU elevates 23 to professors

    The Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Kaduna State, has elevated 23 Ph.D holders to the status of professors.

    This is contained in a statement issued on Saturday in Zaria, by the institution’s Head of Information and Public Affairs, Dr. Sama’ila Shehu.

    According to the statement, besides the professors, the management also approved the elevation of 41 others as readers and principal research fellows of the institution.

    “At the 460th regular senate meeting of January 30, the vice-chancellor announced the promotion of 23 professors and 41 readers as approved by the Governing Council of the University,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the institution’s spokesman as saying in the statement.

    It described the promotion as a deliberate attempt by the university management to curb brain drain and enhance the welfare of both academic and non-academic staff.

     

  • ABU hails The Nation for Newspaper of the Year, others’ awards

    The management of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Zaria, Kaduna State, has congratulated the management and workers of The Nation for winning the Newspaper of the Year and five other awards.

    The university said the awards have placed more responsibility on the organisation to surpass its achievements.

    In a letter of congratulation to the Managing Director of The Nation, Mr. Victor Ifijeh, by ABU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, the university management noted that the awards meant more work for the newspaper.

    The letter reads: “On behalf of the Council, the management, staff and students of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, I wish to felicitate with the board and management of Vintage Press Limited, the publishers of The Nation, for the gigantic feat in winning the Babatunde Jose Newspaper of the Year prize at the Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA), 2013.

    “A gold fish, they say, has no hiding place; just as exceptional hard work and commitment to professionalism are always recognised and honoured. It is in recognition of this uncommon determination to inform, enlighten and keep surveillance over the social and political process of the society that you are so honoured.

    “The awards have placed more responsibility on The Nation to do even better, meaning more work by the management and staff to surpass the achievements and remain the best.

    “The Ahmadu Bello University appreciates the exemplary social responsibility functions, which your company does excellently and joins your readers and well-wishers in saying congratulations and more power to your elbows.”

  • ASUU vs Govt: Hide and seek game at ABU

    ASUU vs Govt: Hide and seek game at ABU

    The management of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities in the institution are currently playing hide and seek with the directive by the Minister of Education for the striking lecturers to resume teaching or be sacked.
    Also, the local chapter of the union is however distributing relief materials to its members to cushion the effect of the lack of payment of salary for the past five months, while there are pressures on some of the lecturers from their family members to respond positively to the government ultimatum.
    When The Nation visited the institution on Wednesday, the school was still empty as the lecturers were yet to comply with the directive, while the university was yet to issue a circular directing the resumption of lectures by the students.
    It was gathered that the University Governing Council has been meeting since Monday to find a common ground and an amicable resolution of the impasse.
    A highly placed source close to the Council told The Nation that the council is trying to ensure that the issue is resolved amicably so that we will not have another strike locally when the national strike is called off.
    The source said “you see, majority of those in the Governing Council are elected members from the Senate and the Congregation. Ordinarily, those people are not supposed to attend the meeting as long as the strike is on. But ASUU looked the other way so that they will attend the meeting.
    “They met on Monday and could not reach any resolution and had to adjourn. The meeting has since resume. But I want to say that they are being careful in carrying out the directive because they are aware of the impact it will have.
    “In any case, the school was never closed. Students are enjoying all the privileges they are supposed to enjoy except the absence of lectures. But the question is, who will bring the lecturers to come and teach?
    “Even if the school was closed, the only body that is empowered by law to reopen the school is the Senate of the University. In view of the period that has been wasted, a new calendar has to be drawn up and it is the Senate that will do that and members of the Senate are members of ASUU. So, who will draw up that calendar?
    “But we are looking forward to a peaceful resolution of the crisis. But the right thing should be done and done fast. I also want to blame ASUU for keeping quiet and not properly explaining the current issue concerning their meeting with the President to the Nigerian people”.
    However, the local branch of the union has asked their members to remain resolute and committed to the strike to its logical conclusion and not to resume any academic activity or sign any register that may be opened by the university management.
    In their resolution signed by its Chairman, Dr. Kabiru Aliyu at the end of its congress, the branch condemn the threat and intimidation by the government through the Supervising Minister of Education, Nelsom Wike to sack all academic staff and advertise their positions if they failed to return to work by December 4, 2013.
    Dr. Aliyu however confirmed to The Nation on phone that the branch was distributing relief material such as rice, semovita, vegetable oil and cash ranging from between N20,000 to N50,000 to its members.
    He noted that the union was not unaware of the pressure from family members on the striking lecturers to resume work in accordance with the government directive, “we are aware of that. But I can assure you that the number is negligible and not enough to have any impact on us.
    “However, I am not sure that any register will be opened here. But even if they did, we are also aware that some people will go and sign. But that will not help the situation”.

  • UAM, ABU lecturers protest in Makurdi, Zaria

    Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday protested in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, and Zaria, Kaduna State.

    The Makurdi protest was spearheaded by ASUU members in the University of Agriculture, Makurdi (UAM), and the Zaria peaceful protest was led by ASUU members in Ahmadu Bello University (ABU).

    The UAM-ASUU members protested the non-implementation of its 2009 agreement with the Federal Government.

    The protest started at 9am at the UAM campus and lasted almost two hours.

    There was a traffic gridlock on the busy Makurdi Railway bypass through major streets in the area.

    The protesters sang solidarity songs and urged the government to honour its agreement with the union.

    UAM-ASUU Chairman Dr Celestine Aguoru said the union’s nationwide strike was for the overall development of education in the country.

    He said scores of Nigerian students were running to Niger Republic to complete their education.

    The union leader said the money spent on President Goodluck Jonathan’s trip to the United Nations (UN) and Israel, with some governors, ministers and a horde of aides, would have improved the education sector.

    Dr Aguoru urged influential Nigerians to prevail on the government to honour its agreement with ASUU.

    The ABU protest, it was learnt, was aimed at enlightening the public on the ongoing lecturers’ strike.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ASUU members trekked about two kilometres in Zaria during the peaceful protest.

    Addressing reporters after the trek, the Chairman of ABU branch of the union, Dr Mohammed Kabir-Aliyu, said the protest was to enlighten the public on the demands of the lecturers.

    He said: “We are on strike because our universities are dying. We want our universities revitalised. We are not on strike because of allowances or salaries.

    “Our intention is to revitalise our universities to compete with other universities in the world.

    “Lecturers are on strike to rekindle the hopes of children from indigent backgrounds by making the system work as it should.

    “Our students know that the system is not working the way it should, because the facilities that will make it work are just not there.”

    On Federal Government’s stand that it had no sufficient funds to cater for ASUU’s demands, Kabir-Aliyu said: “What the union is asking for is negligible.”

    The union leader urged the Federal Government to address the lecturers’ demands to save education from total collapse.

  • ABU will admit 50,000 students in the next 10 years, says VC

    ABU will admit 50,000 students in the next 10 years, says VC

    The Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, plans to raise the number of students being admitted into the institution from 6,000 to 50,000 over the next 10 years, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, has said. A statement issued by the university signed by Alhaji Garba Kumo, Principal Assistant Registrar, Public Affairs, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Zaria, Kaduna state, on Thursday, said part of the plan was the introduction of distance learning programme. It stated that the vice chancellor disclosed this during the Annual Public Lecture of the Faculty of Education held at the Samaru main campus of the university. “The only solution to the limited admission spaces in ABU is through embarking on distance learning programme,” the statement quoted the vice-chancellor as saying. It also listed other measures to include the provision of infrastructure and ICT facilities. “In the next five to ten years, ABU will be able to increase its admission space from 6,000 to 50,000 students annually,” it added. The statement also said that the Guest Speaker at the lecture, Prof. Aminu Mohammed-Dorayi, had in a paper titled “Open and Distance Education in Nigeria : An overview and prospects,” the Guest Speaker, enumerated the successes recorded in distance learning programmes in developed countries. According to him, it has brought about speedy development in various counties, adding that it will provide practical solution to the problem of accessing quality tertiary education in the country.

  • Danjuma lifts ABU with N2.3b

    Danjuma lifts ABU with N2.3b

    The Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria is to benefit from a N2.3 billion life line from Lt. General Theophilus Y. Danjuma.

    The former Minister of Defence endowed the amount which he said should be used to upgrade the university’s science faculty after he was conferred with a honorary degree of the institution during a special convocation in his honour penultimate week.

    Danjuma, who missed the convocation which was part of the university’s golden jubilee anniversary last year, had insisted on receiving his honour in person.

    With the N2.3 billion, the Science Faculty will get an administrative block, library, main auditorium and landscaping. He added that his company, South Atlantic Petroleum (SAPETRO) would provide every other structure and facility needed except for the department building.

    Praising the university for producing many graduates who have distinguished themselves in various fields of endeavour Danjuma said his gift is to enable it continue to play that role successfully.

    “I give credit to Sir Ahmadu Bello and all those whose foresight and sacrifices gave birth to this institution; whose contributions to the growth of Nigeria cannot be quantified. I bear witness to the fact that many of the products of this university have since become worthy ambassadors of the school and of Nigeria. It is for this reason that I am committed to playing whatever role I can in aiding and facilitating the achievements of this university for her noble objectives. The university’s impact on the nation is considerable. Its impact on the northern states is greater,” he said.

    President Goodluck Jonathan also praised the university for fulfilling the aspirations of its founding fathers. Jonathan, who was represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo, said the university has every cause to celebrate its golden jubilee having graduated hundreds of thousands of Nigerians and foreigners who occupy various positions in their country.

    “I am happy to note that the university has among its alumni, past and present governors, ministers, and senators, members of the House of Representatives, captains of Industry, technocrats, scientists and the clergy. I cannot fail to mention that my predecessor, the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and my Vice, Namadi Sambo also passed through the four walls of this university,” he said.

    President Jonathan, however, lamented the low absorption capacity of universities, saying barely a quarter of those seeking admission are admitted yearly. To address this problem, he spoke of plans to establish mega institutions that can accommodate hundreds of thousands.

    His words: “It is estimated that the annual number of candidates seeking admission for the last couple of years has been around 1.5 million while the carrying capacity of our universities is not up to a quarter of that figure. When mega universities are established along with the current one we believe we will address the access to universities in the medium term. Government will continue to pay attention to those areas of needs and will provide special intervention funds to address these problems.”

    Felicitating with Danjuma, whom he described as his hero and mentor, President Jonathan said he was deserving of the honour.

    “General T.Y. Danjuma, undoubtedly deserves the honour being bestowed on him as one of the most illustrious sons of our nation,” he said.

    Accolades poured from other dignitaries for the General, who was accompanied by his wife, Senator Daisy Danjuma.

    Former military president, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida who chaired the occasion described TY, as he is fondly called, as a man who has singlehandedly contributed to the development of education more than any other Nigerian. He praised Danjuma’s decision to pick education as one of the focal points of the TY Danjuma Foundation.

    Chancellor of the 50-year-old institution, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, described the awardee as a detribalised Nigerian who has transformed the lives of a significant number of people in the society.

    The high point of the event was the groundbreaking ceremony for the ABU Phase II Development performed by Vice President Sambo.

    The ceremony was attended by many northern elites including: Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu and Governor Muktar Yero of Kaduna State, Speaker of the House of Representative, Hon. Aminu Tabuwal, former Minister of Information, Prof Jerry Gana, and Education Minister Prof Ruqayyatu Rufa’i.

     

  • ABU sacks 17 staff for various offences

    ABU sacks 17 staff for various offences

    At least 17 workers of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Kaduna State, have been relieved of their appointments by the authorities of the institution.

    The Acting Registrar of the institution, Malam Ahmed Kundila, announced this in a special news bulletin issued in Zaria on Tuesday.

    The bulletin reads: “The Governing Council of ABU at its (Regular) meeting held on January 25 and 26, 2013, considered the report of the senior staff disciplinary committee on some cases of staff discipline referred to it by the management.

    “The nature of the offences ranged from violation of study fellowship, leave of absence term to gross misconduct.”

    According to the bulletin, the council, however, decided to reinstate Malam Salihu Babale of Public Affairs Department, terminated the appointment of six and dismissed 11 others, after careful deliberations.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the termination and dismissal affect various faculties and departments in the university.

  • ABU sacks registrar

    ABU sacks registrar

    Authorities of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, have relieved the registrar of the institution, Dr Isah Mohammed-Abbas, of his appointment.

    This is contained in a letter signed and addressed to Mohammed-Abbas, a copy of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Zaria on Tuesday by the vice-chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha.

    “Following the allegation that you did not hand over your duties to the designated officer when leaving for Hajj, you appeared before a panel set up by the Governing Council of ABU.

    “The Council, at its 151 regular meeting held on Jan. 25 and Jan. 26, considered the report submitted by the panel after careful deliberations.

    “The council was satisfied that you committed various acts of misconduct in violation of the condition of your appointment as registrar of ABU.

    “Consequently, upon the confirmation and satisfaction that you have committed the alleged misconduct, the council has approved your removal as registrar, ABU, with effect from Jan. 26, 2013,” the letter stated. (NAN)