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Tag: UNIABUJA

  • NUC lifts ban on UniAbuja distance learning courses

    NUC lifts ban on UniAbuja distance learning courses

    The National Universities Commission (NUC) has lifted the ban on admission into the programmes of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) Centre for Distance Learning and Continuing Education (CDL&CE).

    Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Julius Okojie, in a letter to the Vice- Chancellor of the University, Professor Michael Adikwu, dated October 12, 2015, said that the moratorium placed on admission into the University’s Centre had been lifted following a recommendation by a panel constituted by the Commission for an on-site assessment which concluded the exercise between September 2 and 5, 2015.

    The University’s distance learning programme failed a revalidation assessment by the NUC in 2012 resulting in the ban on admission into the Centre’s courses for nearly two years.

    A post-revalidation visit in December 2014, however, resulted in the ban being lifted provisionally which only allowed the University to commence the process of admitting students while remedying outstanding deficiencies and awaiting the NUC’s final post-revalidation visit.

    According to a statement issued on Saturday by the University’s Deputy Registrar (Information and Publications), Waziri Garba and made available to The Nation, Okojie said that the Commission had now approved that: “the moratorium on admission of students into the five (5) approved programmes be lifted and academic work may commence for 2015/2016 academic session.”

    The five programmes approved to commence academic activities include B.Sc. degrees in Economics, Sociology, Political Science, Business Administration and Public Administration.

    The NUC boss advised the University to address other areas of deficiencies pointed out in the technical report comprehensively before the expiration of the session in a bid to secure a full re-validation status for all the Centre’s courses adding that a desk officer had been appointed by the NUC to follow up on the revalidation of outstanding deficiencies to ensure success.

    Commenting on the development, the Vice Chancellor UniAbuja, Professor Michael Adikwu, and the Director of the University’s Center for Distance Learning and Continuing Education, Professor Peter Siyan, said that plans were under-way to reinvigorate the distance learning component of the University with a view to regaining the confidence of its teeming patrons across the country.

     

  • Legal Council lauds UniAbuja student’s feat

    The Council of Legal Education, has commended the University of Abuja on the achievement of one of its Law graduates, who performed exceptionally at the Bar final examination.

    The Secretary to the Council, Mrs. Elizabeth Max-Uba, in a letter of commendation to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Michael Adikwu, said Sani Fatima Bombom excelled with a First Class honours  in the May 2015 Bar final examination, which was a testimony to her hard work and discipline.

    Part of the letter issued by the Deputy Registrar (Information), Waziri Garba, reads: “On behalf of the Council of Legal Education, I congratulate you, the entire university management and particularly the Faculty of Law for this excellent performance.”

    Mrs. Max-Uba enjoined the university management to publicise Fatima’s achievement to its Law students to motivate them.

    In April, students of the faculty had emerged second in a 20-nation international law students’ competition held at the College of Law, Nebraska University Lincoln, USA.  They were the only African students in the competition won by England/Wales.  They tied with their counterparts from Georgia in second place.

    On the students’ achievement, Prof Adikwu said that the university would continue to create an enabling environment for serious-minded academics and students to realise their potentials.

     

  • UNIABUJA students barricade FCTA gate

    UNIABUJA students barricade FCTA gate

    Students of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), under the aegis of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCT) National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and other institutions in the FCT, yesterday barricaded the entrance and exit gates of the FCT Administration secretariat for about two hours.

    The protesters, led by UNIABUJA Chairman of NANS, Comrade Friday Omadewu Adayi, laid siege to the FCTA secretariat between noon and 2pm.

    They vowed not to leave unless the FCTA met their demands.

    Their demands included a vehicle from the FCTA for their association to attend their various conventions; develop the university’s Unity Park; solve water supply challenges at the university’s mini-campus and furnish the common room of the NANS chairman.

    The FCTA condemned the students for their action.

    It noted that the protest was unjustified and embarrassing.

    Some of the students’ leaders later met with FCT officials, led by the FCT Education Secretary, Alhaji Kabir Usman.

    The official promised to look into their demands, despite the fact that most of them were either untenable or should have been pursued through the Federal Ministry of Education, which administers their university.

    The secretary announced that the students’ request for a vehicle was receiving attention and would be granted, if funds were available.

    Usman said it was wrong for the students to compel the government to fulfil their demands, which he said were not the statutory responsibilities of the FCTA.

    A statement yesterday by the Special Assistance Media to the FCT Minister, Nosike Ogbuenyi, said: “The point should be stressed that it is not part of FCTA’s official responsibility to furnish the NANS Chairman’s common room at the University of Abuja or to provide internal infrastructure in Federal universities. Similarly, government action on the kind of demands made by the students is discretionary and dependent on resource availability.

    “Nonetheless, the FCTA cherishes robust relationship with NANS even though it frowns at any attempt to hold it to ransom by students over welfare and logistics demands by individuals or groups.

    “The FCTA advises the students to desist from lawless acts like blocking of gates.
    “But the administration will continue to assist students through its various mechanisms including award of scholarships.

    “It will equally continue to give logistics support to students’ organisations, such as NANS, provided that due process is followed and sufficient notice given in all cases. While we are doing this, we call on parents to always watch their children and wards closely by calling them to order whenever the need arises.

    “The FCT Administration, through its water board, has provided potable and wholesome water to the residents of the Federal Capital Territory, including Gwagwalada township by the recent inauguration of the Lower Usuma Dam Phases III and IV water treatment plants.

    “Therefore, it is the duty of individuals, institutions and corporate organisations to undertake water reticulation in their areas of abode.”

  • Minister to probe abandoned projects at UNIABUJA

    Minister to probe abandoned projects at UNIABUJA

    Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, has expressed displeasure at the state of ‘abandoned’ projects at the University of Abuja.

    He vowed to probe the institution over the projects.

    Shekarau disclosed this while answering questions from newsmen after inspecting facilities at the school.

    He described as embarrassing the level of uncompleted projects in the school.

    His words: “The number of abandoned projects in this institution is embarrassing for an institution of this nature. Twelve projects abandoned; this culture has to stop.  We would find out how all these came into being and see how the projects can be completed.”

    Reacting, Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Michael Adikwu, said the projects would require three billion naira to be completed.  He also appealed to the federal government to help the institution secure accreditation for some of its courses.

    In a related development, the Federal Government launched the Nigerian Research Education Network,  NgREN.

    The project is expected to serve as an interactive platform for teaching and learning between teachers and students within and outside the country.

    Inaugurating the center, the Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau said the project would improve monitoring and supervision of higher institutions in the country. He stated that the project would increase access to education and improve the quality of education in the country.

    “This project has really proven to be a very good intervention in monitoring and supervision of tertiary education system, especially the University system.

    “We are really making very good progress.  For Nigeria to have this kind of networking with all institutions that we only see in advanced countries, it is also in line with the transformation agenda which focuses on increasing access and improving quality of education in the country,” he said.

    The Board chairman of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Senator Ahmadu Ali, urged the Federal Government to domicile public universities funds in the commission.

    The Executive secretary of the Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie, said Nigeria is providing leadership in research and community service to the Africa continent.

    He noted missing links between research works and development.

    He pledged to provide all necessities to support the development of education system in Nigeria.

     

  • UNIABUJA’s many headaches

    UNIABUJA’s many headaches

    For the past five years, the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) has been in crises. The crisis deepened last week when a court stopped the appointment of the vice-chancellor, reports  GBENGA Omokhunu, Abuja.

    With a court stopping the appointment of Prof Mike Adiukwu as Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), the institution’s crisis may not end soon.

    The institution has been contending with management/workers’ face-off, withdrawal of accreditation for some programmes, and infrastructural deficit. It went through these problems during the tenure of its immediate past VC, Prof James Sunday Adelabu, who left office on June 27.

    Last year, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Abuja Zone, comprising UNIABUJA, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai (IBBUL), Nasarawa State University (NSUK), Keffi, Federal University of Agriculture (FUAM), Makurdi, Benue State University, Makurdi (BSU) and Kogi State University, Anyigba, urged the Federal Government to release the White Paper of the Special Visitation Panel to the university and decide on Adelabu.

    In April 2012, the Federal Ministry of Education suspended the engineering, veterinary medicine, Agriculture, Medicine and Computer Science programmes of the university for not meeting accreditation.

    National Universities Commission (NUC) Executive Secretary, Prof Julius Okojie, said then that the programmes were initiated during the tenure of the pioneer VC, Prof Nuhu Yaqub, without approval.  The university, he said, failed to equip its community clinic, a basic requirement for medical examination.

    Many medical students were moved to other schools to complete their education after many years of delay.  Engineering students protested in November 2012 before they were moved to five other universities.

    The last days of Prof Adelabu in office were fraught with altercations with the university’s ASUU and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).  The unions have been on strike since June 2 and 4.

    They are protesting the suspension of the deduction of  check off dues.  Before the expiration of Adelabu’s tenure, they were pushing for his removal over what they described as “bad leadership.”

    The strike led to the indefinite closure of the institution by the Governing Council led by the Pro-chancellor, Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia.

    ASUU Chairman, Dr. Ben Ugheoke, who gave reasons for the strike, accused Adelabu of failing to remit the check off dues deducted from workers’ salary in April 2013 and suspending the payment of the dues from May 2013 to the union’s account.

    “This is a provision of the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which every citizen or institution of the country must abide by. However, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof JSA Adelabu, flagrantly disobeyed and till now still disobeys this law. In April of 2013, he checked-off dues and levies meant for the union’s bus purchase, but has refused till this moment to remit such deductions to the union’s account.

    “In order to prove that Prof J. S. A. Adelabu hates peace and industrial harmony, he stepped up his onslaught on the union when in May of 2013 he unilaterally decided to stop the deduction of ASUU check-off dues. These combined actions of not checking off dues for and non-remittance of checked-off dues to the union are a complete violation of the above quoted portions of the Nigerian law.

    “ASUU believes what’s worth doing at all, is worth doing well. The union embarked on strike to insist on the release and implementation of the White Paper of the Special Visitation Panel of 2012; restoration and remittance of check-off dues of the Union; payment of all claims and arrears owed its members since 2010; proper constitution of the Budget Monetary Committee (BMC) in line with due process and restructuring of the promotion process into the professorial cadre. The union has had talks with the Governing Council and the Council believes that all the union is requesting is legitimate and just. In fact, the Council referred to the union as partner in progress.”

    Even though Adelabu remitted the April 2013 check off dues to the union, before his exit last month, Ugheoke said the university management still has to resolve the issue of the suspended dues and others before the strike can be called off.

    “The strike was not person-based; it is issue based and the issues have not been resolved.  Whoever steps in as vice chancellor has to resolve the issues before we call off the strike.  They have promised that it will be restored with the June salary but we have not been paid for June,” Ugheoke said.

    The union also accused Adelabu of trying to award a N3 billion contract few days to his exit.  On June 23, the institution was shut down for about a week when a protest by both ASUU and SSANU nearly ended in violence.

    Ugheoke explained that the union got hold of some circulars calling for meetings of the ‘Tenders Board’, Appointments and Promotions Committee (A&PC) and the Finance and General Purpose Committee (F&GPC),  between June 23 and 24.

    He described the planned meetings as illegal, especially when the VC had just five days to go. The SSANU Chairman, Jude Nwabueze, vowed then that the unions would lay siege to the Senate Building to prevent the planned meetings.  The said meetings were suspended by the governing council.

    But, Adelabu in an interview with The Nation denied the allegations levelled by ASUU against him.

    He alleged that the union is being economical with the truth about the check off dues.

    He said: “ASUU owe the public the responsibility of telling them the right thing. As far back as April last year before government even announced that, I stopped the issue of check-off, that is the union’s dues which we help to collect directly from source and remit to them, these monies are paid along with their salaries and the union know very well that the check-off are paid alongside their salaries to them individually.

    “There had earlier been a directive as regards to check-off dues during strike.  The document is there but up till now there is no repel to it. I wonder how they now come up with the latest allegation that I refused to remit their check-off dues. If you as an individual is owing the union, you already have your salary paid in full, why don’t you take it and pay to the union?”

    “Some alleged that I opened an account. It is very sad when you see academia talking ignorantly like illiterates. If I opened an account as alleged, they should investigate and tell the world the truth. We are not withholding any money or dues belonging to the union; nothing has been deducted, the check-off is paid along with their salaries, they have it in their pockets, what else do I remit to them?”

    Adelabu alos said the allegation that he tried to award a N3 billion contract on the eve of his exit, was baseless.

    He said: “How can I award a contract like that given the fact that the NEEDS assessment is involved for which tendering and opening of bid was done? It was not even by the university but by a consortium.  The award of the contract had taken a normal process for which Council was to meet. They didn’t want me to award contracts as VC.”

    Hopes of resolution of the crisis with the emergence of Adiukwu on VC were dashed following a Govt order stopping him from parading himself in office. Adiukwu emerged from a shortlist of three candidates. Eight of the 13-council member voted for him. Others abstained.

    The other candidates are: Prof Umar Danbata, Acting Vice Chancellor, Kano State University of Technology, and Prof Bayo Lawal of the University of Ilorin, who were said to be ahead of Prof Adiukwu in the final assessments.

    At the council’s 36th Extra-ordinary Meeting on June 30, Dr Ogbemudia urged the staff and students to rally round the new Vice Chancellor in the university’s interest.

    Ogbemudia said the process that led to Adiukwu’s emergence was painstaking.

    However, some sources close to the council told The Nation that Adiukwu’s emergence was influenced by ethnic and religious sentiments.  While some members wanted the candidate that came first to be chosen, others preferred that the issue be decided by vote.

    Three dissatisfied members of the council filed a suit at the Industrial Court in Abuja, which last Monday, barred Adiukwu from parading himself as VC.

    The court also restrained the council from implementing the report of the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board VC the appointment process.

    It directed that the originating summons be served on the council, the vice chancellor and six other respondents.

    Ugheoke said ASUU would not want to be dragged into the case.

    “It isn’t ASUU that went to court.  ASUU is distant from the court case.  It is not part of it.  The three members of council that went to court are not ASUU members,” he said.

    After a congress last week, Ugheoke said ASUU’s would go with the council’s selection, since no law was breached.

    “Last Thursday, we rose from our congress with the resolution that an appointment has been made of a vice chancellor even though it fell short of our expectation.  Since there was no breach of the extant laws of the university, we have resolved to work with the vice chancellor that was chosen.

    “The law states that the council shall select from among the first three and recommend to the visitor.  There is no statement that we must pick the first or second or the third positions.  The law only says that the council should pick one of the three,” he said.

    For over a week now, the institution has not reopened and students have been are wondering if the new VC will bring about the much needed change to make up for the lost years.

    All Bayo Ola, a 200-Level Law student wants is peace and progress.

    “I just want peace to return to this university, my mates in other universities have graduated and I am still in 200 level, what a pity. I hope this new VC will bring peace and fast-track things academically. I am not happy with the way things are. The strike should be called off now that the new man is there,” he said.

    Indeed, the new VC has a lot to do to reshape the institution and bring back its glory.

    Adiukwu’s name has been updated on NUC’s website, which has the names of all universties in Nigeria, their vice chancellors and dates of establishment.  But the outcome of the court case will determine the university’s fate.

  • Court stops UNIABUJA VC

    Barely a week after his appointment, the Industrial Court yesterday restrained the Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), Prof. Mike Adiukwu, from occupying the office.

    It also restrained the Governing Council of the university from taking any step to implement  the report of the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board on the appointment of the new Vice Chancellor.

    But it directed that the originating summons be served on the university’s council, the VC and six other respondents.

    Adiukwu was elected by eight of the 13-member Governing Council of the university.

    The split within the council led to the suit.

    The president of the Industrial Court, Justice B.A. Adejumo, yesterday gave an ex-parte order, following an application by a university lecturer, Dr. Raji Rasheed, and two others.

    The applicants asked the court to restrain Adiukwu from parading himself as the Vice Chancellor, pending the determination of the motion on notice.

     

    The order reads: “It is therefore ordered that the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th Defendants/Respondents, their agents, privies, assigns, servants, however so called from taking steps to appoint the 7th Defendant/Respondent as the new Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja in any manner whatsoever, and from performing the duties/and all other functions of the office of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, pending the determination the Motion on Notice in this case.

    “It is further ordered that the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th Defendants/Respondents shall not take part overtly or covertly in any act or action concerning the appointment of any person whatsoever to the office of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Abuja pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice herein.”

     

  • Four of UNIABUJA’s 600 lecturers resume work

    Despite Federal Government’s threat to university lecturers, only four of the 600 academic workers reported for duty yesterday at the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA).

    Also, only a lecturer signed the resumption register at the permanent site of the university.

    Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the lecturers complied with the decision of the congress of UNIABUJA branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) not to resume work.

    The situation made a few students to roam about for hours before returning to their hostels.

    The four lecturers who resumed work were those of Economics, Banking and Finance and Physics.

    It was learnt that besides being loyalists of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. James Adelabu, they had been expelled from ASUU because of their “intransigence”.

    A professor, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: “We remain resolute not to go back to work in spite of the military order from the government.

    “Let them sack all of us, including those in medical colleges and let us see how far we can go.

    “Our position is that the government should conclude the ongoing talks with the leadership of ASUU, which has been non-violent.”

    Another don said: “You can see that lecture rooms are opened, no lecturers. Only four lecturers came to work out of about 600. And out of the four recalcitrant lecturers, one of them in Economic Department managed to teach less than 10 students.”

     

    “It is obvious that the government ultimatum is of no effect in UNIABUJA. Let them bring soldiers and policemen to teach our students.”

    A source in the Administration Department of the university said: “So far, only a lecturer has signed the attendance register at the Permanent Site. We are expecting that the situation will improve as from Tuesday.”

  • Police teargas UNIABUJA lecturers

    Police teargas UNIABUJA lecturers

    The police yesterday tear-gassed members of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), as they mobilised for their protest into the streets of the Federal Capital city, Abuja.

    Eyewitnesses said the lecturers converged on the mini-campus of the university at Gwagwalada for the protest when policemen and plain-clothes security personnel took over the arena.

    They reportedly prevented the lecturers from embarking on the protest.

    Addressing reporters yesterday, the UNIABUJA-ASUU Chairman Dr. Clement Chup said the union sent a letter to the FCT Police Commissioner on the planned protest.

    He said ASUU was surprised when the police prevented its members from entering into campus.

    Chup said: “We, members of the UNIABUJA-ASUU, actually planned to carry out a peaceful demonstration today (yesterday). What we planned was to have a community marching, a march on some major streets in Abuja, to sensitise the public on the essence of our strike.

    “The strike has been on in the past four months. It is a cause for worry for everybody. We wanted to tell the public that we are on strike because the Federal Government refused to implement the agreement it had with our members since 2009.

  • Strike: UNIABUJA students offer to pay lecturers

    The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), plans to raise funds  to pay the striking lecturers of the University of Abuja Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    The students, according to the Chairman NANS (FCT), Comrade Adediwura Ismaeel Adesina, decided on this plan of action having  pleaded  in vain with the Federal Government to reach truce with the lecturers.

    He said: “So far Nigerian students have tried their best and we have realized that the  Nigerian government and ASUU have exhausted our patience. We went on different peaceful protests in FCT for them to know our plight and at the end of the day nothing was done. ASUU continues to agitate for this money even as the Federal Government keeps saying that there is no money. We begged ASUU to return to classes but it refused while our future is in jeopardy.”

  • UniAbuja: No time frame for School of Medicine accreditation — Okojie

    UniAbuja: No time frame for School of Medicine accreditation — Okojie

    The Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie, says there is no time frame for the accreditation of courses for the University of Abuja School of Medicine.

    Okojie made this known at the opening of a three-day National Stakeholder’s meeting on the Nigerian Research and Education Network in Abuja on Tuesday.

    He said although the students had been clamouring and protesting for the accreditation of the courses, the NUC must ensure that it followed due process to ensure a credible accreditation.

    The executive secretary reiterated the commission’s commitment to ensure that graduates were well equipped and could compete with their counterparts anywhere in the world.

    Okojie had in the wake of the protest by the university’s medical students blamed the university’s former Vice Chancellors, Prof. Nuhu Yaqub, for initiating engineering and medical programmes without approval.

    The university had been embroiled in crisis following the suspension of Engineering, Veterinary, Agriculture and Medical students in April 2012 by the Federal Ministry of Education over non-accreditation.

    Meanwhile, Okojie says the latest development followed NUC’s inspection visit which discovered that the university has failed to equip its community clinic, a basic requirement for medical examination.

    He said that as a result, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, refused to allow the medical students to sit for their final examination.

    Most of the students, NAN learnt, had spent between seven to eight years without moving to the next level and unable to write the MBBS professional examination.

    Engineering students of the university protested in November 2012, over the issue.

    In its efforts to resolve the crisis, the university’s management, in collaboration with the NUC had earlier this year announced the transfer of engineering students to five other universities in the country.