The Nation Newspaper

Tag: University of Abuja

  • Students construct diamond luxury hostel in OAU

    Students construct diamond luxury hostel in OAU

    Some students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) through the Campus Alive Initiative Limited  has designed and constructed a hostel facility in the institution. This is the first hostel  designed by students and for students.

     According to the Managing Director of Campus Alive Initiative, Oyinwola Don Bababtope students over the years encounter some accommodation challenges while on campus. This he added affects some students mentally and in turn has direct effect on their academics. “Some students encounter some form of challenges while on campus and this affects them academically and mentally. We deemed it fit to help them and this gave birth to Campus property which we formed in year 2010,” Babatope said while adding that over 80% of higher institutions in the country have accommodation challenges.

     Diamond Luxury hostel solely funded by Campus Alive Initiative according to Bababtope is a unique hostel which was designed and developed by some students of the institution in 2012 but lunched in year 2017. He however called on youths not to relent in their efforts as the economy of Nigeria seems not to favour starters but with perseverance work towards their goal.

    Oyinwola stated the vision of the company is to Create a solid foundation for good corporate business structure in the Nigerian Campuses and its environs and through Public Private Partnership as this can help develop rapidly the decayed hostels across the Nigerian campuses. Campus Property is currently proposing to develop hostels in University of Lagos, Lagos State University, University of Portharcourt, University of Ilorin and University of Abuja.

    Campus Alive Initiative is campus Consultancy Company, with the sole aim of providing business services in the university community and its environs by bridging the gap between the corporate world and the campuses.

  • NiMet donates weather forecast equipment to UniAbuja

    NiMet donates weather forecast equipment to UniAbuja

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), on Thursday donated some weather forecast equipment to the University of Abuja to upgrade its weather station in Gwagwalada.

    Prof. Sani Abarshi, Director-General, NiMet, disclosed this while inspecting and donating meteorological facilities to Department of Geography of the institution in Gwagwalada.

    He said that NiMet would upgrade the institution into national observatory station just like others across the nation.

    Inspecting meteorology station, GIS lab, Earth thermometer and rain gauge at the department, Abarshi said the need to increase the existing weather stations informed the decision to establish one in Gwagwalada.

    “At every reasonable point, we are supposed to have an observatory station; this University has one already, so we want to come and upgrade it to world standard.

    “We want to make it as one of our stations from where we will be collecting data for Nigerians to use,” he added.

    He reiterated early onset rainfall and early cessation in many parts of Nigeria, warning farmers to be guided by climatic change to be experienced in the country this year.

    Prof. Otaki Alanana, Director, Development Office in the institution, who represented the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, called for more of such partnership with the institution and pledge to provide security for the facilities donated.

    “We have made calls and we are still making calls; parts of the call we have made in the past are to Ministry Science and Technology, National Directorate of Employment (NDE) among others.

    “We want to partner them for development of the University; some of them have responded positvely by giving us computers and buses and we are still making calls,” he said.

    Commending the gesture from NiMet, Head of Geography Department, Prof. Sunday Ejaro said data generated in the observatory station would always be made available to the farmers in FCT and Aviation industry in Abuja.

    “They have offered to train two of our staff; NIMet and our staff will collaborate and work together.

    “Primarily, we are into training  and researching, we are going to train our students with modern facilities.

    The New Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NiMet donated fifteen computers, Barometer, 7Kva UPS, Printer and internet facility to Geographic Information System (GIS) of the University.

  • Don urges FG to revisit power sector privatisation

    Prof. Park Idisi, a lecturer, Department of Agriculture, University of Abuja, has urged the Federal Government to revisit all sectors privatised to local and foreign companies.

    Idisi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja that this should be done to ensure that companies that bought the sectors provided adequate services and employment to the youth.

    He said the government should revisit all sectors privatised, especially the power sector.

    He said the sector was bought by investors that lacked competitive philosophy and intention to improve or develop the industry.

    He said no reason should stop government to revisit the power sector, as the companies that bought the industry had failed to provide citizens energy needed.

    ” They keep bringing bills every months without power supply; they only want to make quick money with the collaboration of some top Nigerians,” he said.

    He commended the current administration on its giant stride to revisit Ajaokuta Steel Industry, adding that such effort should be applied in the power sector.

    Idisi said there were models to be used if government wanted to revisit the sector and make it functional, adding that experts would be able to proffer such solutions.

    He said if not for corruption, Nigeria would not necessarily need to privatise its assets to provide jobs and grow the economy.

    According to him, Lagos State is developing faster because the government is handling its responsibilities by providing employment to youths and creating enabling environment.

    NAN reports that recently, business mogul, Aliko Dangote, suggested to the Federal Government to reverse power sector privatisation, as it was done wrongly.

    Dangote said the buyers lacked understanding of the complexities of the sector.

    The privatisation was conducted in 2013 to 18 companies, 11 distribution companies, six power generation companies and one transmission company.

     

  • ‘Wrong subject combination causes delay in university admissions’

    Dr Peter Adakayi, Dean, Student Affairs, University of Abuja, on Friday warned candidates against the wrong combination of subjects during JAMB examinations, as such could mar their chances of getting admission.

    Speaking in Abuja, Adakayi said that a candidate who had high scores in JAMB result, but had the wrong combination of subjects, would not get the desired course of study.

    “Another thing that can deny someone admission is the wrong combination of subjects during JAMB examination.

    “Someone who applied to study medicine can score highest in JAMB, but will not be given admission, because the subjects he wrote for UTME is wrong.

    “For instance, a candidate may like to study medicine, but for the JAMB examination, he or she registers the English Language which is compulsory, then Chemistry, Literature and Geography.

    “The subject combination in this instance is wrong,’’ he said.

    Adakayi, who is also an Associate Professor, said that no candidate with that kind of subject combination would be given admission in the Faculty of Medicine, for instance.

    According to him, same applies to other courses with mismatched subject combinations.

    He said: “In the JAMB brochure, the subject combination for every course is clearly written.

    “However, some people, due to perhaps, frustration from re-writing JAMB, may not bother to adhere to the guidelines,’’ he said.

    On the delay in the 2016/2017 admission list, the dean said that the admission process had been in progress for a long time.

  • Photo: UNIABUJA’s honourary Doctorate degree for Tinubu

    Photo: UNIABUJA’s honourary Doctorate degree for Tinubu

  • UniAbuja a mockery of university system – Panel

    UniAbuja a mockery of university system – Panel

    The special visitation panel set up by the Federal Government in July to investigate the activities of University of Abuja since its establishment has described the institution as a mockery of the university system.

    Presenting the panel’s report to the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’i on Friday in Abuja, the chairman of the panel, Dr Theo Osanakpo, blamed the under development of the university on poor governance system and financial impropriety.

    Osanakpo said the report indicated that the 2025 target set for the completion of the full master plan of the university might not be realised as only six per cent of the plan had been achieved after 24 years.

    He identified ranking of unapproved programmes, admission irregularities, lack of a governance system and lack of a proper accounting procedures as major challenges facing the institution.

    “Looking at all these irregularities going on in the institution, I would say that UniAbuja is a mockery of the university system; the facilities at the mini campus do not reflect the funds that the Federal Government give.

    “There are no sporting facilities for students, no good lecture halls and the facility is way below the needs of the more than 70,000 students of the institution running the undergraduate, post graduate, sandwich, part-time and distance learning programmes,’’ he said.

    Osanakpo said that the staffing of the institution and the environment were very deplorable and the government needed not just to give funds but to monitor the administration of the funds for effective usage.

    He also recommended that the Vice Chancellor be “bench marked” periodically by the governing council to guarantee standard.

    The panel also recommended that prospective students of the institution must have the JAMB requirement and write the post-UTME examination to curb the excesses of admission.

    It also recommended that the Students Union Government (SUG) should be reinstated in the institution to allow for peer interaction which also enhances their productivity level and help to bridge the gap between students and the school management.

    Responsing, the minister thanked the panel for the report, saying that “UniAbuja in spite of its proximity to the education headquarters and the regulating body, NUC, has been a challenge.’’

    Rufa’i assured the panel that the report would be implemented and that within two weeks, the ministry would produce a white paper that would be presented to the president.

    “The president approved this panel so I know that he would be glad to resolve the issues brought to the fore through this report.’’

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government on July 25 inaugurated the panel to investigate the financial and governance system of the university since 1988 when it was established after the suspension of four courses due to irregularities.

    The courses are medicine, veterinary medicine, agriculture and engineering. (NAN)