Nasarawa University admits over 6,000 students, as VC, Prof Suleiman Bala Mohammed warns against cultism

From Francis Nansak

Nasarawa State University Keffi, has admitted Six thousand, two hundred and ten (6210) students into 8 faculties of the university , so said the Vice Chancellor, Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed,
during the matriculation ceremony last Friday in the convocation ground of NSUK.

Professor Mohammed, said the university management is resilient and focused on attaining international standard.

He said the admission was spread across faculty of Administration,with 1201 students,faculty of Agriculture with 245,those in faculty of Arts were 496 as well as faculty of Education which had 683.Others were Environmental Science ,with 244,Law had 66,Natural and Applied Science had 1390 and Social Sciences ,had the highest number of students admitted that numbered 1885 students.

In his welcome address,the Vice Chancellor, Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed, graciously welcomed all the fresh intakes to the citadel of learning ( NSUK)that has created the enabling environment for members of the community to maximize their potentials and realized their dreams.

Professor Mohammed recalled that prior to their admission into NSUK,thousands of candidates applied to gain admission,but according to him,those that were successful among many others are the ones that made it for the matriculation.

He congratulated students and said the post UTME platform provided has eased clearance of certificate by the university for all candidates.

” This has drastically reduced the bureaucracy of queuing up at the administrative block and faculties for clearance.

” The initiative is in line with providing a student friendly environment,as you settle down with your academics ,you are advised to adhere strictly to COVID-19, protocol,as clearly stated in most of our publicity in line with federal government and NCDC directives and guidelines” He maintained.

The Vice Chancellor added that the university frowns at unethical conducts by students and from staff in totality”

” You are to shun all cult related activities, ungodly assembly,drugs abuse, examinational practices and all other social vices”.

Our correspondent however reported that the university is still battling with the issue of adequate financing from the state government,as the proprietor of the institution despite various interventions including a huge investment from TetFund and other donor partners.

An impeccable source , revealed that since January the school was starved of finances ,which according to him,staff of the university have stayed for two months without salaries,which is hinged on the recent Treasury single account policy of the state government,were as the institution function as a parastatal under the ministry of education as an autonomous body.

It was also gathered that the state government on a monthly bases funded the university with a subvention of over #120 million ,while the school from its IGR augurment in order to meet up with the challenges of salaries aside embarking of some programmes and projects that are in the interest of development.

On this the university Information and Protocol Officer,Mr Abraham Ekpo said at the moment the management of the university have embarked on a biometric data capture of it staff strength,with the aim of ascertaining the actual figures staff and what will be demanded for the payment of salaries adequately.

Mr Ekpo also stated that the university management under the able leadership of the VC ,Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed has introduced and launched the whistle blowing policy which has yielded the needed direvation.

He added that since the introduction of the whistle blower policy it has helped in checkmating unethical activities,brought in sanity and transparency in the institution so much that those who were in one way or the other engaged in such acts have been apprehended and a facing the appropriate committee ” So there has been a lot of improvement and progress made with the initiative ,which to a large extent too has put every one on his toe” He said.

www.odogwublog.com notes that inspite of the world health challenges that was occasioned by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic,which crippled sector of economy and educational advancement,that also led to the Federal Government directive on closure of schools with the view of curtailing the spread of the virus,leaves Nasarawa state University Keffi with no option but to shutdown.

This and many other factors capable of setting backward educational pursuit, however was intercepted through the modest and sagacious commitment of the management of the university under the Vice Chancellor, Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed.

Nasarawa State University Keffi,in a swift response to the Federal Government directive again after certifying that the virus in the second wave can be controlled through taking of stringent measures based on the Presidential Task Force protocol and guidelines,relaxes the lockdown and calls for the reopening of all schools.

The University authority formigated the complex,provided hand sanitizers,hand washing materials and restricted those without face mask from accessing any facility of the institution starting from the main entrant gate ,where regular body temperature through the use of the inferate thermometer.

The Nasarawa state university,having put all the measures in place and with the drive to forge on with providing the needed academics environment for students of different educational pursued,including the newly admitted for 2019/2020 academic session.