The Nation Newspaper

Tag: varsity

  • Osun varsity lecturers refuse to resume

    Lecturers of the University of Osun State Osogbo on Monday refused to resume academic activities following a directive by the institution’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    The institution was billed to resume on Monday with many students already excitedly looking forward to being back on campus.

    But a memo by ASUU’s branch chairman and secretary warned lecturers who resume will be accused of strike breaking.

    It reads: “If lectures and other activities should start today it would be regarded as an act of strike breaking and the union doesn’t handle cases of strike breaking with levity.

    “The union reminded the varsity management that the ongoing strike is total and comprehensive.”

    ASUU embarked on a nationwide strike on November over unfulfilled agreements by the Federal Government.

    The National President Biodun Ogunyemi told lecturers nationwide to be prepared for a long-drawn struggle.

    Ogunyemi, who charged members of the union to remain steadfast and resolute in the face of intimidation or antics by government through Vice Chancellors and Governing Councils to undermine the ongoing struggle, said: “Government is yet to change its keep them talking style and stance as all the meetings held so far with the Minister of Education are yet to resolve any of the demands of the union.”

     

    Attempt to get the official reactions from the varsity proved abortive.

     

  • Varsity sacks 63 lecturers for sexual harassment, others

    The management of Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki said yesterday that it had sacked 63 lecturers for sexual harassment, certificate forgery, extortion, among others.

    Spokesman Patrick Itumo confirmed the sack to The Nation.

    He said some of those sacked were lecturers who had overstayed.

    Itumo said most of those sacked reportedly obtained the West African School Certificate Examination (WASC) before the First School Leaving Certificate.

    They were said to have falsified their birth certificates and other credentials.

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

    He urged students, who have suffered sexual harassment, to report the incident to the school authority.

    Itumo said the management would protect such students from victimisation.

     

     

  • U.S varsity honours businessman

    The Trinity International University of Ambassadors, Atlanta Georgia, United States of America, has conferred a honourary doctorate on the Chief Executive Officer of Homeland Integrated Offshore Services Limited, Dr. Louis Ekere.

    The award is conferred on individuals deemed worthy, and who have great experience, knowledge and impact in doing great work at home and abroad.

    The conferment came on the heels of his recent graduation from the prestigious Harvard Business School.

    Dr. Ekere is an alumnus of the IESE Business School, Barcelona, Spain and the Lagos Business School. He was recently awarded the Certificate of Merit by the US Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security, United States of America (USA).

    In his resolve to ensure Nigerians across every spectrum enjoy quality healthcare services, Dr Ekere recently opened the multi-billion naira WellMed Healthcare Ltd.

    It is an indigenous healthcare company in Lagos that offers one-stop diagnostic solution services with state-of-the-art medical equipment, including 1.5 Tesla MRI, 64-slice CT Scan, 4D Ultrasonography, fully digital X-ray, 3D Echocardiography, Resting and Exercise ECG and fully automated pathology laboratory with a menu of over 3,000 tests.

    He is also involved in several philanthropic activities, the recent being the free medical testing on world Hepatitis Day, free medical outreach at Ajah, Lagos, and environs, where residents were screened for chronic lifestyle diseases including diabetes, hypertension and obesity.

    He has offered free high-end radiologic and pathology investigations including MRI and CT scan, hitherto unaffordable, to indigent patients of public hospitals including Massey Street Children’s Hospital, General Hospital, Lagos and Epe General Hospital.

  • Varsity shut over students’ protest

    The Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM) in Benue State has been shut indefinitely following a students’ protest. The protest was sparked by the death of a student in a road crash. AKPEM NGUTOR reports.

    THE Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM) in Benue State has been shut indefinitely following students’ demonstration. The protest followed the death of a student, Joseph Odeh, in a crash on the road leading to the school. Six other students were critically injured.

    The accident occurred on Wednesday, when one of the front tyres of a commercial bus conveying students to the school burst while on speed. The driver, CAMPUSLIFE gathered, lost control of the vehicle which somersaulted many times. The tumbling bus knocked off an oncoming motorcycle.

    The late Joseph and the six others, it was gathered, were rushed to the school clinic but the staff members allegedly demanded for their cards as a condition for their admission.

    It was gathered that those who rushed  them to the clinic pleaded for their treatment to no avail.  In the ensuing argument, Joseph allegedly died.

    The others, who were writhing in pain, were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Makurdi where they are still on admission.

    Angered by the circumstance of Joseph’s death, his colleagues went wild vandalising parked vehicles and other facilities at sight. The protesters vandalised the clinic whose their staff accuses of causing Joseph’s death.

    The bus that caused the accident was burnt.

    To forestall further violence, the  authorities  ordered an “indefinite mid-semester break” with immediate effect.

    On thursday the senate held an emergency meeting to review the crisis. The Senate sympathised with the family of the deceased and condemned the violence.

    The Senate set up a panel to investigate the students’allegation against the clinic staff and the circumstances that led to the protest. The panel is to evaluate the extent of the destruction. It is expected to submit an interim report to the Senate in two weeks and a final report within a month.

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) leadership commiserated with the students on Joseph’s death and condemned the violence that followed the accident. The NANS leadership was on the campus to assess the destruction. It met with the authorities on how to prevent future occurrence.

    The NANS leaders visited the injured at the Federal Medical Centre. They urged the students to keep the peace and pleaded with the school to address the transport challenge on campus. NANS demanded an improvement in health services provided by the school.

    The Students’ Union Government (SUG) leaders also visited the hospital. Its President, David Pine, and Speaker of the Students’ Supreme Council (SSC), Jerome Ikyon, led officials to the hospital. Also, the editorial crew of Campus Gist – a student newspaper – visited the victims.

    Students took to social media platforms to air their views on the violence. They condemned the medical services at the  clinic. They demanded for clinic’s reorganisation. They urged the Federal Government and the varsity to initiate a scheme to address their transportation challenges.The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof A.R. Kimbir, told the injured at the medical centre that the school would foot their bills.

    Family members of the injured expressed hope that they would recover quickly.

    Students of Benue State University (BSU), Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) and Kogi State University (KSU) sent goodwill messages to the injured.

    They also urged the school to address the transport problem in the campus.

    Joseph was buried on Friday in his Otukpo, Benue State hometown. The injured are Luther Iaangi, 200-Level Agricultural and Environmental Engineering; Onuiigya Magida, 200-Level Animal Production; Cecilia Okori, 200-Level Fisheries; Patience Idoko, 200-Level Animal Production, and Emmanuel Omeh, 300-Level Animal Nutrition.

  • Kano Varsity dissolves Students Union over N500m property damage

    The authorities  of Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil has dissolved the Students Union Government over its failure to avert the colossal damage done to the university property,during students’ riot worth Norm.

    Speaking to reporters on the situation, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Shehu Alhaji Musa lamented that the actions of the students had cost the university a  monumental loss.
    According to him, it is disheartening to know that the protesting students, during the riot, which took place on May 2 2018, over the issue of a drowned student , went on rampage and destroyed state-of-the-art equipment worth over N500 million.
    The VC also revealed that about 21 areas were damaged and more than 100 valuable items destroyed, adding that the items include a sophisticated ambulance worth over N40 million.
    Other affected areas, according to the VC, include the university’s ICT Centre equipment, valued at N250 million, vehicles, the new and old clinics, Security Unit,  female and male hostels.
    Also destroyed were Research Laboratory, Science Lecture Hall and classrooms,Directorate of General Studies, All signposts and billboards, two Zenith Bank ATM machines,among others.
    “After the consultations, the Senate of the universityat its 84th meeting approved the reopening of the universityon Monday, 9th July, 2018, while students are mandated to pay a penalty of N13,000 against the reported N17, 000 including, a medical screening charges of N4, 000 for all students.
    “Sequeal to the apparent failure of the students union government executives to discharge their functions as provided in the 2013/14 SUG constitution, the Vice Chancellor professor Shehu Musa Alhaji, in the performance of his statutory responsibilities,as enshrined Im the university law, hereby dissolves the student u ion government executives with immediate effect.
    “Henceforth, the students executives ceased to be representatives of the students on any matter affecting the running of the university, as well as handover to the Dean of affairs, property and documents in their custody,” he said
     In the interim ,  Prof. Musa said that a Student Representative Committee (SRC)  would soon be constituted and inaugurated to address matters of interest of all students of the university.
    He said the university management resolved that, in order to ensure positive progress, stability, transformation and consolidation, remain unwavering, and therefore urged all law abiding students of the university to remain calm and obedient during their resumption period.

  • Varsity non- teaching staff may down tools

    Universities may witness another strike action following accusation by members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, (SSANU) that the federal government is failing to honour its parts of the agreements with non-teaching staff seven weeks after suspension of its industrial action.

    Rising from its National Executive Council meeting at the Bayero University, Kano SSANU appealed to the federal government to implement all agreements it freely signed with Joint Action Committee of NAAT, NASU and SSANU to avert another round of industrial crisis in universities.

    In a communiqué by the National President, Comrade Samson Chijioke Ugwoke and the National Public Relations Officer, Abdussobur Salaam, SSANU also accused the government of fragrantly disobeying judgment of the National Industrial Court (NIJ) on university staff schools.

    The union “warns that Nigerians should not blame the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NAAT, NASU and SSANU if it resumes the suspended nationwide industrial action because seven weeks after the last Memorandum of Understanding signed by government and the unions, government has failed to honour its own part of the bargain”.

    It said further “NEC decries a situation where the union followed legitimate processes to correct an anomaly and after judgment was given, government chooses to treat with contempt and implement in breach, as is the case with university staff schools where various offices of government have issued circulars which run contrary to the decision of the court.

    “It notes that this development is unbecoming of a democratic government supposedly run under the rule of law and the non-implementation of court judgments by the government is an invitation to anarchy”.

    The union also expressed disgust about the proliferation of universities, saying “NEC notes that though the number of universities on ground may have challenges meeting up with the increasing admission needs of the country, the solution is not the proliferation of universities.

    “Government should rather improve the funding and infrastructures of existing universities to increase their carrying capacities and the number of students they can admit.”

    On the decision of the Federal Executive Council barring federal universities from charging tuition fees, the union said while the decision is commendable, government must find a way of stopping university managements from spreading the fees across other ancillary fees such as Acceptance Fees, Caution Fees, Medical Fees, among others.

     

  • Church hands over medical centre to varsity

    The General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) Worldwide, Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya, has inaugurated a one-storey medical centre built by the Prayer City Tent Makers Group and handed it over to the Mountain Top University (MTU) in Lagos.

    “I want it (medical centre) to be run excellently and professionally, that is why I handed it over to the Mountain Top University. In future, MTU may have a medical school,” Dr. Olukoya said. The facility, he said, would be of international standard and run professionally.

    He thanked the Prayer City Tent Makers Group for taking the initiative, noting that the gesture will encourage others to contribute to the development of the Prayer City.

    The medical centre has a delivery room, children, private, male and female wards, theatres, kitchenette, VIP ward, prayer room, among other sundry spaces.

    Chairman of Tent Makers Group, Prayer City Region, A.O. Martins, said members were happy to complete the project which is the third of such projects they were doing for the church.

  • Varsity honours Plateau Governor Lalong, others

    The first private tertiary institution in Ondo State, Achievers University (AU), Owo, will tomorrow hold its 7th convocation.

    Eminent people, including Emeritus Professor David Ijalaye, who is the first Nigerian Professor of Law, Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, former Minister of State for Education and Member, House of Representatives, Aishatu Jibril Dukku and Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) will receive honorary degrees.

    The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Tunji Ibiyemi, said the event would coincide with the 10th year anniversary of the institution.

    He said the 10th year anniversary/convocation lecture titled: “Non-Oil Export: Panacea to Under Achievement of Nigeria’s Economic Potential’’, will be delivered by the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), Abubakar Abba Bello.

    Ibiyemi said 336 students would graduate, with 30 in first class, 206 in second class (upper), 111 in second class (lower) and 16 in third class.

    He said in 2017/2018 academic session, the National University Commission (NUC) granted the university approval to begin postgraduate programmes in Accounting, Business Administration and Computer Science.

    The Pro-Chancellor/Visitor, Dr Bode Ayorinde, said efforts were on to meet the vision of the institution.

     

     

  • Varsity students protest tuition fee hike in Akure

    Students of Ondo State-owned Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), yesterday marched on major streets of Akure to protest hike in tuition fee.

    Over 1,000 students blocked major roads, preventing vehicles and movement for hours.

    The protest affected commercial activities, as shop owners closed.

    Commercial drivers shun roads.

    The students, who converged on Oja Oba junction, Akure, condemned the hike in tuition fee from N25,000 to N180,000/N200,000.

    They accused the government of being callous, alleging that its action was against economic realities.

    The protesters were at the popular Adegbola Newspapers Distribution Centre, Fiwasaye, Cathedral and Adegbemile, among others, chanting anti-government songs and carrying placards.

    They were later dispersed by anti-riot policemen, who fired teargas canisters.

    The demonstrators were led by the Chairman, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Ondo State branch, Adewumi Adebowale, who insisted that the students would not pay the fee.

    He said it was outrageous, adding that they will resist the hike.

    Adebowale urged the students not to resume academic activities until the government reversed the fee.

    President, Students’ Union Government (SUG) Ijanusi Olawale said no student would pay the new fee.

    He said the university would not be opened for academic activities unless the government reversed the fee, adding that parents and guardians cannot afford the fee.

    Ijanusi enjoined students to remain calm.

  • Striking varsity non-teaching staff may call off strike Wednesday

    Striking varsity non-teaching staff may call off strike Wednesday

    The Federal Government has agreed to source for about N8 billion to settle the Earned Allowance of striking non teaching staff of Nigerian Universities within the next five weeks.

    The workers have therefore been asked to suspend their ongoing industrial action by Wednesday, March 14 to allow full activities to return to the campuses.

    This decision formed part of the agreement reached between the striking workers under the Joint Action Committee and the federal government after two days of conciliatory meeting which also agreed that no worker will be victimized on account of taking part in the strike action.

    The agreement was signed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwukah, President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Comrade Samson Ugokwe, President of the National Association Academic Technologists (NAAT), Com. Sani Suleiman and General Secretary of Non Academic Staff Union (NASU), Com. Peters Adeyemi.

    The workers had gone on a total and indefinite strike action on December 4, 2017 as a result of failure of the Federal Government (FG) to implement some of the contents of the Agreement of 20th September, 2017 between the Federal Government and JAC.

    The agreement, copy of which was made available to The Nation indicate that the government and the unions agreed that: “Government is to source for eight (8) billion naira within five (5) weeks to pay JAC of SSANU, NAAT and NASU members and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), who did not get paid in the last disbursement exercise.

    “The Federal Ministry of Education  reported that the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) has started payment of Salary Short falls and the process is still ongoing. The FME is to synergize with the concerned institutions to ensure compliance with Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) requirements to facilitate payments of JAC members in the Universities that are yet to comply.

    “The National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) is to rework the 15th December 2017 Call Circular taking into consideration the observations of JAC of NAAT, NASU and SSANU with a view to ensuring that it complies with the National Industrial Court (NIC) judgment.  

    “The Federal Ministry of Education has made submissions to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) for onward transmission to the National Council on Establishment (NCE) meeting, slated for 18th March, 2018, in Owerri and is expected to report the outcome in 5 weeks.

     “The Federal Ministry of Education had put forward an application for the visitation panel to the Presidency and is to follow-up and report outcome in 5 weeks. The main thrust of visitation is to re-energize the Institution, unearth corruption and maladministration in these Institutions.

    “It was also agreed that the Federal Ministry of Education would set in motion appropriate machinery for the release of White Paper in respect of previous visitation panel reports already with Government.

    “The Honourable Minister of Labour and JAC leadership agreed that the ongoing strike would be suspended by Wednesday 14th March 2018, after due consultation with their National Executive Councils (NECs). No Worker would be victimized on account of this industrial action.”