Education
Nasarawa Varsity Restores SUG After Five -Year Ban
Vice-Chancellor, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Prof. Muhammad Mainoma has called on the new leadership of Students’ Union Government (SUG) to close ranks with authorities of the institution for peaceful and harmonious learning environment.
The vice-chancellor made the call recently at the inauguration of elected officials of SUG in Keffi, Keffi Local Government Area of the state.
Our correspondent reports that the university has been without SUG for almost five years.
The ban on SUG was due to protest staged by the students of the university over scarcity of water in 2013, a development that led to the killing of some students by suspected security operatives.
Mainoma also urged the new leadership of the union to initiate good policies and programmes that had direct bearing on the lives of the students.
He also advised SUG officials to be transparent, fair and just while discharging their duties in the interest of peace.
“Being a one-time union leader who fought for the rights of students, it would not be good if I have not restored SUG in the university before my exit as Vice Chancellor,” he said.
Mainoma challenged the students leadership to strive toward preventing a repeat of the incident that led to the dissolution of the union, by making amicable resolution of grievances and welfare of students a priority.
The vice chancellor also called on the students to be serious with their studies in order to excel in life.
He restated his administration’s commitment to ensure good policies and programmes that had direct bearing on the lives of the lecturers and the students.
The legal officer of the university, Mr Jennifer Ibi, who administered oath of office on the new officials tasked them to lead with diligence.
He, however, warned that a breach of the oath they had taken would not be tolerated.
Responding, the SUG President, Mr Newman Maitoro, thanked the management and students of the University for the confidence reposed in the union and promised not to let them down.
He also promised to place the unity and academic excellence of students above every other consideration, but called for support from the management, students and the university community to enable the union succeed.
Our correspondent reports that other elected officials of the union include; Tabitha Dogo, Vice- President, Mathew Ablaku, the Secretary-General and Helen Akolo, Treasurer.
Others are; Adams Ezekiel,Financial Secretary, Michael Joseph, PRO, Mathew Sunday, Director of Sports and Hassan Tijjani, Director of Welfare among others.
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, emphasised the need for students to go beyond academic achievements during the university’s 43rd Convocation ceremony.
The theme, “The University Culture In Practice, The IAUE Experience,” highlights the importance of embracing cherished traditions and intellectual values that define great universities.
Prof. Onuchuku encouraged the new graduates to work hard and persevere, noting that their convocation marks a new beginning in their careers and personal lives. He emphasised that they must prove themselves worthy of the certificates and prizes they have received.
According to him, out of 2,887 first-degree graduands, four made First Class, 403 secured Second Class Upper, 2,030 got Second Class Lower, and 450 graduated with Third Class. Additionally, 1,492 postgraduate students graduated, including 306 PhD holders.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), praised the university’s commitment to academic excellence and institutional maturity. He commended the Acting Vice Chancellor for achieving full accreditation for 47 academic programmes and implementing the NUC’s Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards.
The administrator urged the new graduates to uphold the positive values instilled in them by the university and strive for continuous knowledge and improvement.
By: King Onunwor
The Niger Delta Students Union Government, Rivers State Chapter (NIDSUG), has suspended its planned protest against the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) state office in Port Harcourt. The suspension followed an intervention by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju.
The students had planned to protest on Thursday, citing alleged neglect by the NDDC, particularly in welfare and capacity-building programmes for students from the state. However, after the police intervention, the students agreed to participate in a roundtable discussion with the commission to address their concerns.
NIDSUG leader, Comrade Loveday Njoku, expressed dissatisfaction with the commission’s alleged exclusion of students from benefiting from its programmes. He presented a seven-point demand, including the reintroduction of scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Njoku emphasised that education is crucial for community development and urged the commission to invest in the future leaders of the state.
The students warned that if their demands are not met, they will resume the protest and occupy the state commission office until their demands are addressed. Despite previous attempts to reach out to the commission’s management team, the students claimed their efforts were unsuccessful.
By: Akujobi Amadi
As part of efforts to improve the welfare and overall quality of education for students in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, the Sole Administrator, Sir (Dr.) Clifford Ndu Walter DSSRS, FCAI, JP, paid an unscheduled visit to Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi.
During the visit, Sir Walter expressed deep concern over the deplorable state of the school and its surrounding environment. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the development of the education sector, stressing its critical role in nation-building.
“I have visited the primary school in Ogbogoro, and now I’m here at the Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi. I am not satisfied with what I’ve seen,” he stated, indicating that more surprise visits to schools would follow.
To address the issues, the Sole Administrator directed the Council Engineer to commence process for rehabilitation of the school.
The visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at conducting on-the-spot assessments of educational facilities to determine the level of intervention required by the local government council.
Dr. Walter also assured the teachers of his unwavering commitment to revamp the school and improve the learning environment for both staff and students.