By Samuel Ogenyi
The Akwa Ibom State University has terminated the appointment of eight lecturers for sexual harassment.
It is also to award first class degrees to 41 deserving students during its 4th and 5th combined convocation ceremony.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Eno Ibanga said at a press conference on Tuesday in Ikot Akpaden, Mkpat Enin local government area, that the lecturers were sacked for sexually harassing some female students and for extortion.
Ibanga stated that some of the cases were in court, adding that 10 students involved in cultism were also caught by the management of the institution.
He said the students who were caught at the junction of the main campus with a mini coffin, red clothe and axes where on their way to an initiation ceremony.
The Vice Chancellor noted that the university is doing its best to instill sanity among lecturers and students, adding that such cases were thoroughly investigated by the management before disciplinary measures are carried out.
“The appointment of 8 lecturers have been terminated by the university bordering on sexual harassment and extortion.
“As we speak, a notorious one is on ground and the person will will not go scout free. Some of the cases are still in court. I swore to run an institution that can stand the test of time. We are doing the best to bring sanity to the institution.” He said
Ibanga said a total of 2,000 graduates comprising 920 and 1,080 graduates for the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 graduating year respectively will convoke.
He stated that the University will award a honorary degree of Dotor of Letters to His eminence, Nteyin Solomon Etuk, the Oku Ibom Ibibio, President of the Supreme Council of Ibibio Traditional Rulers and Chairman of the Akwa Ibom Council of Chiefs.
The Vice Chancellor revealed that the convocation will be the first under His eminence, Nteyin Solomon Etuk, recently installed as the Chancellor, and Engr. Samuel Inyang, Chairman of Seyang Group of Companies as the Pro-Chancellor.
He explained that since the late convocation, the university has added two new faculties to the existing six, adding that the institution will begin 69 postgraduate programmes across 6 faculties in the 2019/2020 session.
Ibanga said that the admission quota of the university which is currently 2,399 has been filled up, and has a capacity of 8,660 students.
He noted that the institution is trying to maintain a stable system to make the University competitive, adding that it has moved from adjunct staffing to recruiting permanent staff members.
He said the university currently has a staff strength of 439 academic staff comprising 605 senior and 398 junior staff respectively, adding that 38 out of 39 programmes in the institution have full accreditation.
“Since the last convocation, the faculties have increased from six to eight. The Faculty of Social and Management Sciences became the Faculty of Management Sciences and the Faculty of Social Sciences while the former Faculty of Natural and Apppied Sciences has been split into two Faculties, namely: Faculty of Biological Sciences and Faculty of Physical Sciences.
“Beginning from the next session, 2019/2020 session precisely, this month of November, Akwa Ibom State University shall commence post-graduate programmes in sixty nine of its academic programmes spanning across six of the eight faculties.” He explained.
