The Nation Newspaper

Tag: SUG

  • College welcomes freshers, restores SUG

    The Federal College of Education (FCE) in Obudu, Cross River State, has held its third matriculation for degree and diploma students.

    The event, held at the Senator Greg Ngaji Lecture Theatre, was attended 352 students who were admitted into the college to study various courses.

    The Governing Council of the college used the occasion to announce that it had lifted the ban on students’ unionism. The college, for several years, had operated without a functional Students’ Union Government (SUG), following alleged maladministration by past students’ leaders.

    Speaking to CAMPUS LIFE, the Provost, Dr Eugene Ibli, noted the college, since inception of in November 1982, had become a reference point in quality education, adding that the institution was doing its best to improve the standard of teaching and learning.

    Ibli noted that students were taught entrepreneurship courses to be independent and wealth creators after graduation. Apart from giving quality knowledge to students, he said the academic culture in the college groomed students and trained them to be thinkers and innovators of good ideas.

    The Provost urged staff to carry out their duties diligently and serve as role model to students.

    The students took the matriculation oath, promising to shun vices including cultism and examination malpractice, among others.

    One of them, Miss Grace Odey, said she had been waiting to be admitted into the institution, promising to pursue excellence.

  • Poly restores SUG, 12 years after

    Twelve years after the Students’ Union Government (SUG) was proscribed at the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic (AKPOLY) in Ikot-Osura, the management has lifted ban on the union activities. The decision, however, was taken after several demonstrations by students.

    The polytechnic directed students to nominate members of electoral committee to conduct elections into the union offices. The election was held last week.

    Several students showed interest to contest in the race. There were three candidates vying for the president. They are Paul Ibara, Ubok-Mfon Iwok, and Ben Effiong. Accreditation was done at the school gate before they were allowed to go into the campus to vote. The process was orderly as the school security officers were on ground to secure the exercise.

    The election started at 8:20am and ended at 1pm. After the exercise, Iwok was declared the president-elect beating his closest rival by one vote. According to the results released by the electoral committee, Paul garnered 498 votes, Ben had 596 and Iwok, 597 votes.

    But some supporters of the unsuccessful contestants accused Iwok of rigging the election. The winner denied the claim, saying students’ support made him to triumph at the poll.

    A student, Mike Ibangha, said the outcome of the election was satisfactory, adding that it was beginning of a new era for the students.

     

  • FUTO gets SUG exco

    The Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) has held its Students’ Union Government (SUG). The election, which was keenly contested, had 33 candidates vying for 11 posts.

    The Independent Students’ Electoral Committee screened the candidates, giving 24 contestants a clean bill of health to participate in the exercise.

    The manifesto was held on the eve of the election. Students came out in their numbers and gathered in front of Hall C to listen to the programmes of the aspirants.

    The exercise was carried out through e-voting system but results were announced the following day.

    The elected officials were led by David Onochie.

    Others are Purity Chukwu, Vice-President; Prince Anusiem, General Secretary; Jane Njoku, Assistant General Secretary; Henry Nwadialor, Financial Secretary; Frances Nriaka, Treasurer; Eva Osita, Public Relations Officer; Chima Austin, Welfare Director; Michael Utonwa, Director of Transport; Sunday Olum, Director of Socials and Fabian Nnajiofor, Director of Sports.

  • SUG passes confidence vote on VC

    The Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the Kogi State University (KSU) in Anyigba has passed a vote of confidence on the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Hassan Isah, despite the lingering crisis rocking the institution.

    The SUG Secretary General, Abdul Bash, said the union recognised the VC’s developmental efforts, adding that the university had achieved academic excellence during his tenure.

    The union listed facelift of infrastructure, consolidation of information technology, full accreditation of some programmes, introduction of two additional faculties and staff training, among others as some of the achievements of the Prof Isah-led management.

    He said: “The Students’ Union Government hereby pass a vote of confidence on the VC and encourage him to do more even in the midst of the many hurdles before his administration.”

    The VC said that the university remained the best in the country, supporting his claims with the results of the school’s graduate at the Nigerian Law School.

    He explained that students from the institution performed excellently, scoring above 90 per cent and placed the university in number seven position on the chart.

    The professor of Chemical Pathology said the university had surmounted its accreditation challenges.

    Speaking on the issue of non-payment of hazard allowances, Prof Isah said the agitation were not genuine, stressing that those asking for the payment were not entitled to the allowance.

    He said the issue of high tax deduction by the state’s board of internal revenue would be resolved soon, noting that the names of all affected workers had been compiled and forward to the board since the advent of new tax system in the state.

  • ‘Why Ondo Poly students protested hike in school fees’

    THE Students’ Union Government (SUG) of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo in Ondo State has faulted the claim of the institution’s management that the recent protest of students over hike in their schools fees was carried out by non-students.

    Insisting that the peaceful protest was organised by newly matriculated students, the SUG in a statement issued by its President, Akinomotomiwa Ayipada, and Secretary, Olarewaju Owadasa respectively, also denied the report that the students vandalised some properties belonging to the institution.

    The students added that they were aggrieved on the manner the management was handling the issues of school fees payment despite the huge amount being paid by the students.

    The statement reads in part: “At the inception of the 2012/13 academic session, the management increased tuition fee for ND students from between N17, 000 to N24, 000 to between N43, 800 to N63, 500, while that of HND was increased from between N29,000 to N38, 000 to N58,500 to N75, 800 respectively.

    “It should be noted that the school management never consulted the students, as there was no students’ union government in place as at then. Irrespective of this fact, the students agreed to pay the fixed prices in order to have a peaceful and uninterrupted academic calendar.

    “After the inauguration of the 2013/14 academic session S.U.G executives, the leadership of the union liaised with the management to give room for instalmental payments, as many students were unable to pay up at once, due to the level of economic hardship in the country. But rather than assent to our request, the management went ahead to enforce a “No Payment No Entry” option at the school gate which was later reversed to avert a protest by the students as at then.

    “To our utmost surprise, the management went ahead to announce a unified test for all students who have paid their school fee. After several meetings with the management to either postpone the test or allow all students to write irrespective of their payment status, the management still adhered to the fact that the test will be conducted on the July,7 and only students that have paid will be allowed to write the test.

    “On the said date, students mobilised to the school gate to express their dissatisfaction with this policy. Let us put it on record that all persons involved in the protest are matriculated students of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo.”

     

  • A week of fun

    A week of fun

    The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) Students’ Union Government (SUG) has held its annual Students’ Week, reports HAMEED MURITALA (400-Level Mass Communication).

    They wore different uniform with bags strapped to their backs. They assembled on an open space. Then, the ‘principal’, the Dean of the Faculty of Education, Prof Samuel Olorundare, took the podium to address the ‘pupils’. After the talk, the assembly dispersed and the ‘pupils’ sang back to their classrooms.

    But this was not a secondary school. All this happened last week at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) when the Students’ Union Government (SUG) held its Week tagged: Have fun while you study.

    The campus erupted in excitement at the sight of students dressed in secondary school uniforms. There was a comic touch to the event when some students appeared in funny old school attires.

    The event with the theme: I am young; I am the future, was declared open by the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Abdulganiyu Ambali, in the university auditorium. The VC said youths of today would only be leaders of tomorrow if they are knowledgeable, adding that youths must read to understand the future in which they want to be leaders.

    Prof Ambali, represented by his deputy for academics, Prof Bayo Lawal, pointed out that youths were the foundation of the country’s future, noting that an illiterate youth population could not lead in the modern world.

    “If you are not a reader, you cannot be a leader. If you are not a reader, you are not the future. The first person you must lead is yourself. When you lead yourself successfully, you will be able to lead others properly,” the VC said.

    Prof. Ambali encouraged the students to develop the two “Cs” of leadership, which he called competence and character. Explaining that competence would always lead to better capacity and capability, the VC said character gives rise to confidence.

    He told students to strive to be the best in their field, urging them not to rest on their oars but to improve on their weaknesses. He said acquiring knowledge was the only way they could rise to become future leaders.

    The sub-Dean, Students’ Affairs Unit, Dr Abdulraheem Yusuf, urged the undergraduates to aim for success in all their endeavours. He told them not to think of failure, noting that students of the institution pride themselves as future leaders because of the stable academic calendar and quality teaching they get.

    He said: “No matter how bad things may go, your focus must be to attain success, strength, victory and belief. No one will tell you who and what you can be; no one will tell you what you can or cannot be; belief will change your world and the country. History will remember you for this.”

    The SUG president, Ahmed Lawal, said the event was organisedto improve social life on campus and to promote peace and unity among students.

    Ahmed said: “We want to promote unity in diversity through the exhibition of culture of the our various ethnic groups.”

    The Week also featured activities, such as games, cooking and eating competition. The event ended with a musical show where May D, a popular hip-hop artiste, thrilled the students in the university stadium.

    The eating contest was won by a 400-Level female Microbiology student, who ate 10 wraps of fufu(cassava flower) within four minutes. She was given a cash prize of N10, 000; the runner up, also a female student got N5, 000.

  • SUG sworn in

    SUG sworn in

    The management of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) Lagos has inaugurated new members of the Students’ Union Government (SUG).

    The new executive council is led by Babajide Salvador as President, David Adebisi, Vice-President I and Samson Anisere, Vice-President II.

    Others are Olaitan Shekoni, General Secretary; Kehinde Kassim, Assistant Secretary-General; Onyekachi Nwauzor, Financial Director; Tega Emmanuel, Director of Socials; Olayiwola Lawal, Director of Sports; Oladimeji Owolabi , Public Relations Officer and Christopher Johnson, Director of Welfare.

    Meanwhile, a new Chief Judge, Justice Adesina Mudasiru and the Speaker, Joshua Akinjayeju and 65 parliamentarians were also sworn in as members of the legislative arm.

    The immediate president, Babalola Afeez, expressed gratitude to the management for supporting his administration.

    In his acceptance speech, Babajide said his administration was committed to promoting the welfare of students. He called on every student to work with his team to achieve the objectives of the institution.

    Dean, Students’ Affairs, Dr O.T. Raheem congratulated the new leaders and charged them to see their victory as an act of God, saying that they should always represent the interests of the students that elected them.

    The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Registrar, Mr Gabriel Adewale; Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Mr Prince Adegbuyi; representative of the Director of Works, Mr S.A. Ige and students.

     

     

  • Scandal hits SUG

    Scandal hits SUG

    As the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Awka, the Anambra State capital, was rounding off its second semester, the Students Union Government (SUG) was hit by a scandal. UCHE ANICHEBE writes on the petition against the outgoing head of the union’s judicial arm.

    THEIR tenure took off on a promising note. But as they are leaving office, members of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Awka, the Anambra State capital, are running into a storm. The outgoing Chief Judge, Obinna Agazie, is being accused of corruption.

    In a petition, Obinna was accused of impersonation before his resumption as Chief Judge.

    Obinna was also accused of embezzling funds accrued to the union’s judicial arm during his tenure.

    Muoneme Ifesinachi, Nwabueze Cletus and Chilee Paschal, who are all members of the Editorial Committee constituted by Obinna wrote the petition.

    Ifeanacho Onwubuya, Obinna’s Personal Assistant, also accused his boss of corruption.

    The document, which was obtained by CAMPUSLIFE, reads: “The last administration witnessed financial malpractice by the past SUG Chief Judge of the Judicial Council, Mr Obinna Agazie, now a final year student of the Faculty of Law. Our tenure with Obinna Agazie started on December 2011 and ended on December 13, 2012.

    Obinna had, on different occasions, before he became the Chief Judge, impersonated the SUG president and had a lot of courtesy and official visits to eminent Nigerians and political officers in the name of sourcing funds for running the judiciary of our noble university. A lot of money was realised from those visits, but Obinna diverted the funds for private use.”

    According to the petitioners, the money allegedly embezzled by Obinna was put at N1.2 million, an amount said to be gotten from series of courtesy visits to political office holders, commissioners, banks, hospitals and hotels in Anambra State.

    According to one of the petitioners, Obinna’s conduct typified abuse of office and privilege. He said: “It is a pity that corruption has found its way into this small community of ours. What we, the petitioners, seek is justice and nothing more. I have been having correspondence with the Dean of Student Affairs, who is one of the persons to whom the petition was submitted. He assured us that Obinna would be summoned to explain his action.”

    A member of the union, who pleaded for anonymity, noted: “I am very disappointed by the allegation. I worked with Obinna, and accompanied him to places where the money were gotten. Little did I know that the funds were not going to the union’s pocket. Obinna is a trustee of the office he holds, and I think his action has breached the trust. When I read about the scandal in Aluta newspaper, I was deeply disappointed. This is a clear instance of breach of trust.”

    Agazie denied the content of the petition, dismissing the petitioners as being envious. He said the petition was written because of his achievement and rising profile in students’ unionism. “The petitioners were motivated to file the petition because of bad belle. They wanted to reap where they did not sow, which was why they filed the petition based on my refusal to allow them have their way. He who asserts must be able to prove, and as far as I am concerned, they have so far been unable to prove their case,” he said.

  • Scandal hits SUG

    THEIR tenure took off on a promising note. But as they are leaving office, members of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Awka, the Anambra State capital, are running into a storm. The outgoing Chief Judge, Obinna Agazie, is being accused of corruption.

    In a petition, Obinna was accused of impersonation before his resumption as Chief Judge.

    Obinna was also accused of embezzling funds accrued to the union’s judicial arm during his tenure.

    Muoneme Ifesinachi, Nwabueze Cletus and Chilee Paschal, who are all members of the Editorial Committee constituted by Obinna wrote the petition.

    Ifeanacho Onwubuya, Obinna’s Personal Assistant, also accused his boss of corruption.

    The document, which was obtained by CAMPUSLIFE, reads: “The last administration witnessed financial malpractice by the past SUG Chief Judge of the Judicial Council, Mr Obinna Agazie, now a final year student of the Faculty of Law. Our tenure with Obinna Agazie started on December 2011 and ended on December 13, 2012.

    Obinna had, on different occasions, before he became the Chief Judge, impersonated the SUG president and had a lot of courtesy and official visits to eminent Nigerians and political officers in the name of sourcing funds for running the judiciary of our noble university. A lot of money was realised from those visits, but Obinna diverted the funds for private use.”

    According to the petitioners, the money allegedly embezzled by Obinna was put at N1.2 million, an amount said to be gotten from series of courtesy visits to political office holders, commissioners, banks, hospitals and hotels in Anambra State.

    According to one of the petitioners, Obinna’s conduct typified abuse of office and privilege. He said: “It is a pity that corruption has found its way into this small community of ours. What we, the petitioners, seek is justice and nothing more. I have been having correspondence with the Dean of Student Affairs, who is one of the persons to whom the petition was submitted. He assured us that Obinna would be summoned to explain his action.”

    A member of the union, who pleaded for anonymity, noted: “I am very disappointed by the allegation. I worked with Obinna, and accompanied him to places where the money were gotten. Little did I know that the funds were not going to the union’s pocket. Obinna is a trustee of the office he holds, and I think his action has breached the trust. When I read about the scandal in Aluta newspaper, I was deeply disappointed. This is a clear instance of breach of trust.”

    Agazie denied the content of the petition, dismissing the petitioners as being envious. He said the petition was written because of his achievement and rising profile in students’ unionism. “The petitioners were motivated to file the petition because of bad belle. They wanted to reap where they did not sow, which was why they filed the petition based on my refusal to allow them have their way. He who asserts must be able to prove, and as far as I am concerned, they have so far been unable to prove their case,” he said.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that copies of the petition had been filed at the offices of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Boniface Egboka, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Dean of Students’ Affairs, Deans of all faculties and the SUG office.

    It was learnt, last week, that the security unit of the university invited Obinna and the petitioners for interrogation.

  • SUG leaders trained on leadership

    Members of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the Osun State Polytechnic (OSPOLY), Iree, Osun State, have visited Lagos to learn rudiment of leadership. The three-day leadership training programme and tours was organised by a Lagos-based consultancy firm, Kasa Management Consultancy Services, in Badagry area of Lagos State.

    The programme with the theme: Shaping proactive leaders for the next generation featured Mr Bola Disu, Registrar of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED) as speaker. He urged the students to dream big and give meaning to their aspirations.

    Disu, who is a lawyer by training, said success only court people that worked hard to actualise their dreams.

    He said: “You must believe in yourself, and in your dreams. You do not necessarily need the whole world to endorse your dreams. They are your dreams, not the world’s. Great innovations, earth-shaking ideas, global brands and many other revolutionary achievements are not communal or democratic. They are personal issues based on self-conviction and unflinching courage.”

    Mr Disu said world brands such as Bill Gates of and Hudson Wrights brothers were individuals who dreamed big and went ahead to give meaning to their dreams.

    He urged the students’ leaders to believe in themselves, “even when nobody perceives you as being serious”.

    Another speaker, Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi, Deputy Director, Office of the Public Defenders, Lagos State, took the students on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism.

    In her paper entitled: Application of conflict management tools in constructive engagement and student-related disputes, Adeyemi listed some causes of students’ unrest in higher institutions to include inadequate facilities, shortage of lecture materials and hostel accommodation, irregular power supply and water shortage among others.

    Through ADR mechanism, all the challenges could be resolved without violence, Adeyemi said.

    “There are various ways of managing and resolving conflicts. ADR and other intervention methods are in widespread demand and use,” she said, adding: “ADR is often used to describe a wide variety of dispute resolution processes that are short of, or alternative to full-scale court processes.”

    She said the conflict resolution mechanism saved time, money and increase control over the process and the outcome, preserving relationships. She urged the students to embrace the mechanism in crisis resolution and management instead of confrontation.

    In a paper titled Developing your entrepreneurship potentials as students’ leaders, Mr Kolawole Asa, a Management Consultant, tutored participants on entrepreneurship. Asa gave some tips to create and develop business ideas, saying that the society expected youths to take charge of their lives and become successful.

    After the workshop session, the students visited historic sites in Badagry, including the Whispering Palm Resort.

    Folorunso Samuel, one of the participants, said: “The training has totally widened my knowledge on leadership.” Another participant, Adewale Salawudeen, said: “We commend the management of Osun State Polytechnic and the consultants for organising this powerful and wonderful training.”