The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ebonyi State University (EBSU)

  • Ebonyi varsity names Centre after Buratai

    The Ebonyi State University (EBSU) has named its newly established Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies after the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, for his selfless service to the nation and humanity.

    According to a statement by Col. Sagir Musa, the army spokesman, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Chigozie Egbu, announced the honour when he led a team from the university on a courtesy visit to Buratai in Abuja.

    Egbu commended Buratai for the achievements the army had recorded under his leadership in promotion and maintenance of peace in the country.

    According to Egbu, EBSU is ready to collaborate with the army on the trust that a well-educated army is essential for effective military duties in the 21st century.

    “We are also delighted that you are interested in the establishment of an Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies at EBSU to offer members of the Armed Forces, Police and paramilitary agencies the opportunity to get higher and relevant education,” he said.

    Egbu, who was a former Deputy Governor in the state, disclosed that Gov. David Umahi, and the State Executive Council had approved that the Institute be named “Lt.-Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies”.

    Responding, Buratai thanked the leadership of the university, government and people of Ebonyi for the honour.

    He dedicated the honour to officers and soldiers of the Nigerian army for their commitment, sacrifices and resolve to bring an end to the myriad of security challenges facing Nigeria.

    Buratai expressed willingness to support the university to provide quality education and to serve as a centre for academic research on contemporary security challenges.

    He said the army would sponsor qualified officers and soldiers interested to enroll in the university’s programmes and solicited for collaboration between the institution and the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, an emerging research centre.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Igbinedion University, Okada, had also on April 15 honoured the Nigerian army by naming its Centre for Contemporary Security Affairs after Gen. Buratai.

    NAN

     

  • EBSU sacks 63 lecturers for sexual harassment, other offences

    Management of Ebonyi state University (EBSU) on Thursday said it has sacked 63  lecturers for various infringements.
    Among the infringements include alleged certificate forgeries, sexual harassment and extortion.
    Public Relations Officer of the University, Patrick Itumo confirmed the sack to The Nation.

    He noted that some of the people sacked were adjunct lecturers of the school who have over stayed in the university.

    According to him, most of the staff sacked were said to have obtained their West African School Certificate Examination (WAEC) before their First School Leaving Certificate.

    They were also said to have falsified their age certificates and other relevant credentials.

    The spokesman said the sack followed audit report submitted by a committee set up to verify credentials of workers of the institution.

    Rumour has it that over 300 persons were affected by the sack but the spokesman said only 63 were dismissed.

    “They are not over 300 as being speculated. As I speak to you, they are 63 in number that has been disengaged”.

    “There is this audit report that was brought out from where these people were disengaged, 63 of them. Some of them have age discrepancies in their records. Some people obtained doubtful First school leaving certificates; some obtained their WAEC before their First School Leaving Certificates.

    Read Also: EBSU-ASUU begins indefinite strike

    “There are people who should have retired at the age of 65 or 70 years and they are still in service and also some Adjunct Professors who come from various places whose contracts has been reviewed up to five times. As of now, nobody among these people has been reinstated.

    The spokesman urged students who have suffered sexual harassment to come up with make a report to the school authorities for prompt action.

    He promised that the school management will protect such students from victimization.

    “Students are encouraged to come up with report of sexual harassment so that the school will look into it. They should talk to the authorities and they will be protected if they are afraid make an open report on it. They should send message to the VC’s phone, to me or their course adviser they will be protected”.

  • Umahi appoints Ex- Deputy Gov. EBSU acting VC

    Umahi appoints Ex- Deputy Gov. EBSU acting VC

    Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi has appointed a former Deputy Governor of the state, Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, as the Acting Vice Chancellor of Ebonyi State University ( EBSU ).

    The Secretary to the State Government, Prof Bernard Odo, made the development known in a statement in Abakaliki on Friday.

    Odo said that the governor, who as the university’s visitor, directed that Ogbu would replace Prof. Francis Idike whose appointment as the acting vice-chancellor would elapse on Nov.26.

    “Idike has been operating as the university’s acting vice- chancellor for the past six months while Ogbu’s tenure, which commences from Nov.27, will also last for six months,” he said.

    Odo said the governor also approved the termination of Ogbu’s appointment as the university’s Pro Chancellor to enable him to assume duties in the new position.

    He said the governor also approved the appointment of a former Minister of Culture and tourism, Chief Franklin Ogbuewu, as the university’s Pro-Chancellor with effect from Monday, Nov.27.

    Ogbu was Deputy Governor from 2003 to 2011.

    Ogbuewu is also the Chairman of the Ebonyi Elders Council.

    NAN

  • ASUU protests salary cuts, increasing mortality rate of members

    ASUU protests salary cuts, increasing mortality rate of members

    The Calabar Zone of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has protested the reduction of subventions to the universities for the payment of personnel emolument since December 2015.

    The Union also decried a spike in the mortality rate among university workers in the past year, saying the deaths “may not be unconnected these strangulating cuts in salaries.”

    The Calabar Zone of ASUU consists of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH), University of Uyo (UNIUYO), Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU), Ebonyi State University (EBSU) and Abia State University (ABSU) Branches.

    Addressing reporters in Calabar Monday, the Coordinator of the Zone, Prof Nsing Ogar, lamented that the situation has resulted in the incomplete payment of salaries, non-implementation of promotion, non-remittance of statutory deductions to unions, co-operative societies and creditor banks with which staff have commitments.

    Ogar, in the company of the chairmen of UNICAL, CRUTECH and UNIUYO Branches, Dr Tony Eyang, Dr Emmanuel Ettah and Dr Aniekan Brown, respectively, said the shortfalls which vary from institution to institution run into hundreds of millions for some and tens of millions for others.

    He said, “Fragments of salaries have been paid staff, with some universities paying between 80 and 90 per cent from December 2105 to January 2017. As if to dramatise its insensitivity to the plight of workers in the academia, the government cut February salary by about 30 per cent in what appears to be a determined onslaught to knock off oxygen from the university system.

    “This anomaly has thrown university workers into unprecedented agony, difficulties and embarrassment as if the already existing harsh economic realities and soaring inflation in the country were not enough. The persistent shortfalls, and now deeper cuts in salaries have mincemeat of the struggles of academics, killed incentive and dampened morale.

    “State universities are not left out of this regrettable situation as their visitors have developed the unhealthy penchant of releasing grossly inadequate subventions resulting in the payment of only net salaries without the remittance of deductions to unions and cooperative societies.

    “There has been a lot of agitation, outrage and anger from members of the Union, with the leadership coming under immense pressure. This has nit augured well fostering an atmosphere for meaningful activities on university campuses. To think that workers’ productivity can be divorced from their welfare is a regrettable fallacy.

    “While expressing our frustration at government’s failure to see the need to address this problem with its wide ramifications, we are heavily disappointed that the governing councils of the universities have been at best phlegmatic, and at worst indifferent, towards taking serious steps to salvage the situation and avert the looming catastrophe.

    “ASUU categorically condemns and rejects the cruel and sustained attempts to emasculate and humiliate academics, and is resolved to challenge in any form this monumental injustice and slavery, now posing an existential threat to intellectual workers.

    “We call on well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the Federal Government to stop this unprovoked attack on the academia by releasing full monthly subventions to universities and the backlog of shortfalls owed them.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, out Unions National Executive Council will not shirk its moral and historic responsibility of taking firm and decisive action in this unjust situation is not satisfactory addressed before its meeting on March 25 and 26, 2017.”