Daybreak, Politics, Entertainment, Sport

Tag: Federal University Lokoja

  • FUL Sets To Graduates 2, 738 At 6th, 7th Combined Convocation in Lokoja

    FUL Sets To Graduates 2, 738 At 6th, 7th Combined Convocation in Lokoja

    From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    The VIce Chancellor of Federal University Lokoja, Prof. Olayemi Akunwumi said the University is set to confer various degrees to over 2,738 graduands in the University.

    While briefing the press on Monday at the main campus of the University to mark the beginning of the ceremonies of this year’s combined 6th and 7th convocation ceremony, Prof. Akunwumi said out of the 2,738, 2,511 graduands will be conferred with first degrees, 99 master degrees and 128 postgraduate Diploma respectively.

    According to the VC, the breakdown of the graduands shows that in the 6th set, 28 graduands bagged First class, 319 second class upper, 736 second class honours Lower division, 197 division, third Class honours, while 3 had Pass Degrees.

    In the same vein, the 7th set, 33 bagged 1st class, 386 second class upper, 668 second class lower division, 250 third class, 1 pass degrees respectively.

    Prof. Olayemi disclosed that as at 2023 times higher education ranking, the Federal University Lokoja fall within 51st-60th bracket out of 120 Universities in Sub Saharan Universities while it ranked 17th position amongst Nigerian Universities and 9th position amongst Federal Universities.

    He pointed out that two inaugural lectures were held before he assumed office in 2021 but has recorded 15 inaugural lectures within this period which according to him is a university culture and a way of showcasing the academic achievements of the institution.

    Prof. Akunwumi further disclosed that the University has commenced the Department of Medicine, Nursing, Engineering, while Agriculture, law, Pharmacy, Psychology and Medical laboratory sciences programs are in the pipeline.

    He explained that the College of Health Sciences of the University has taken off fully with pioneer Students now in 200 level, disclosed that maiden students admission exercise into the Engineering and Nursing program will take place in the 2023/2024 academic session.

    The Vice Chancellor thanked former President Mohammadu Buhari for the approval to convert Federal Medical Hospital Lokoja to federal Teaching Hospital, to be used as Teaching Hospital for Medical program.

    The University under his administration according to Prof. Akunwumi constructed road networks, entrepreneurship centre, 12 blocks of lecture halls and the University health Centre which according to him is now open to the public.

    He pointed out the connection of electricity from the Lokoja power substation to the University through the national grid; procurement of a fire fighting service truck, construction of security building, renovation of the male and female hostels at the Adankolo campus for the MB;BS students were carried.

  • Parents Groans Over Outrageous Hike Fees In FUL, Demands For VC’sSack

    Parents Groans Over Outrageous Hike Fees In FUL, Demands For VC’s
    Sack

    From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    A Group  under the auspices of Parents/Guardians at Federal University Lokoja on Tuesday cried out over the arbitrary hike in the student’s school fees without recourse for the current economic situation in the country.

    The group who lamented over the the management action without economic considerations called for immediate removal of the Vice Chancellor of the university Prof. Olayemi  Akinwumi.

    The group who protested vehemently carrying placards of various inscription said the protest would continue until the management of the university reverse itself over the increment.

    The leader of the group, Mr Moses Abraham who made the call while addressing newsmen in Lokoja on Tuesday said the increment in school fees  which is almost 300 percent was orchestrated to deny children of university education.

    The breakdown of the current hike of the students’ fees according to the spokesman has it that, the remedial course  which has N50,000 as school fees is now N100,000 while fees for new intake student which was formerly N56,000 now N188,500.

    He added that the fees for new intake art/social sciences hitherto fixed for N55,000 has been increased to N183,500 just as returning students are expected to pay N113,000 against the former fees of N47,000.

    According to him student accommodation per bed space which was charged for N20,000 before has been hiked by the Vice Chancellor to N60,000 while the GST hand book sold to students at N1,500 per copy now increased to N6,500.

    The parents spokesman said the increment was too much for parents to bear and called on the federal government through the minister of education to prevail on  the Vice Chancellor to reverse the hike in the fees  before he collapse the only federal university in  Kogi state.

    “The Vice Chancellor is a civil servant and we expected that he should be aware of the current economic doldrums in the country. How can people pay their children school fees with the current increment when sources of income remain stagnated” he lamented.

    Madam Florence Anachebi in her reaction said “when the federal government  established the university few years ago, we were happy but the current Vice Chancellor want to deny  us the opportunity to train our children because since he came he has virtually increase all charges and now the school fees”

    Reacting to the protest , the Public Relation Officer of the university , Mr Daniel Iyke said there has not been any official release of any increase in the university charges .

    He pointed out that the federal government due to the current economic situation can not effectively funded education sector , noting that there has been an increase in charges from one university to another, stressing that if the federal university Lokoja is trying to consider an increase , it should not be totally out of place.

  • FUL VC Promises Sustainable Students’ Welfare, Relationship With SUG

    FUL VC Promises Sustainable Students’ Welfare, Relationship With SUG

    From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja (FUL), Professor Olayemi Akinwumi on Friday assured that his administration will continue to give priority to students welfare and sustain the prevailing Cordial relationship between the management and Students Union Government in the institution.

    The Vice Chancellor gave the assurance when the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Sunday Adebayo Asefon and his executive members paid him a working visit at the permanent site of the University in Lokoja.

    The VC said that the comfort of students on campus will no doubt reduce the temptation of them indulging in negative acts such as cultism and other social vices that could mar their academic pursuits.

    Professor Akinwumi said ”Since I came on board one year ago, my administration has been able to purchase one vehicle for the SUG and two other buses recently for students transportation. This is aimed at enhancing the operation of the students union government and the comfort of the students to ease their transportation to both the temporary and permanent sites of the University. We have also provided comfortable office accommodation for the SUG”

    “We are not thinking of increasing tuition fees inview of the present economic realities in Nigeria which will further compound the sufferings of both students and their parents.”

    “On Hostel accommodation for students, we are trying our best but the insecurity challenges at the permanent site has been a stumbling block which hopefully we shall overcome in no distance time”

    Earlier, the President of NANS, Sunday Adebayo Asefon had congratulated the VC on his fruitful one year in office considering the magnitude of the projects executed within the short period.

    The Student Leader particularly commended the VC for the movement to the permanent site of the University during his time which he said had placed the institution to the wider world.

    Asefon expressed the hope that the VC will continue to deliver on his constitutional responsibility to the University as a result of his track record of service while at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi.

    He promised to support the University through effective partnership to boost quality education in the institution.

    “I can assure you that we as student body will ensure that you achieve the desired results throughout your tenure in the University.”

  • FUL Concludes Arrangements To Commence MBBS programme – Prof. Akinwumi

    FUL Concludes Arrangements To Commence MBBS programme – Prof. Akinwumi

    From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja (FUL), Professor Olayemi Akinwumi on Monday in Lokoja said the management of the institution has concluded arrangements to begin MBBS programme before the end of this year.

    Professor Olayemi Akinwumi gave the assurance while interacting with journalists at the Permanent Campus of the institution on Monday as part of the activities marking his one year in office.

    The VC said that the medical programme along with 38 other courses have passed through verification by the NUC awaiting full accreditation.

    “The verification exercise which was carried out last week Wednesday, surely has given us the hope of scaling through the full accreditation. Am confident that none of the verified programmes will be denied accreditation”.

    “The process of employing required professors/Lecturers for the medical programme and other courses have also been concluded. We will equally engage the services of visiting Lecturers”.

    The Vice Chancellor said that within his one year on board, the University was lifted from number eight to number one in ranking amongst the twelve Federal Universities established by Former President Good luck Jonathan.

    Prof. Akinwunmi who said that his new vision for the University is to make it one of the best in the world, disclosed that under his Leadership the University was rated the second best University in North Central Nigeria.

    Other achievements enumerated by the VC “We now have our Printing Press, tarring of network roads at the permanent site and availability of potable water on the two campuses. Within one year in office, I have fulfilled the mission of the University”.

    The Vice Chancellor said he refused to be distracted by the mischievous report at his person in some section of the social media, said it is a product of fear by those who are scared of the outstanding achievements made by University in just a year under his Leadership.

    One of the Challenges in the institution according to him includes, Inability to move students to hostels at the permanent site as a result of insecurity and lack of proper funding.

  • FUL VC Assures Adequate Security Of Students, Staff, Property In Kogi

    FUL VC Assures Adequate Security Of Students, Staff, Property In Kogi

    From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    The Vic-Chancellor, Federal University Lokoja (FUL) Professor Olayemi Akinwumi has assured parents that the institution will ensure adequate security to guarantee lives of students and staff at the main campus of the university.

    Akinwumi gave the assurance on Monday during a press briefing to mark the commencement of the fifth convocation ceremonies of the institution slated from 8th — 14th November, 2021.

    According to him , the management of the institution has engaged the services of over 60 hunters to complement the efforts of the Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in providing adequate security of lives and property of the institution at the Felele campus.

    He added that the students will not be moved to the hostels until the management is satisfied with the security architecture of the institution, saying the terrain of the campus calls for concern.

    “The management of this institution will not toy with the security of students and staff of the university. We have seen what happened just recently in some tertiary institutions in the country where Professors and their children were kidnapped in the campuses.”

    “We have engaged over 60 hunters to ensure adequate surveillance and they have mapped out areas where criminals can use as escape route and we will blocked those areas. Until we are satisfied with the security here in the permanent site of the university, we will not move students to the hostels for now” he said

    Speaking on the convocation, the Vice-Chancellor revealed that 804 graduands will be conferred with degrees and postgraduate diploma, noting that honorary degrees would also be conferred on eminent personalities that have contributed immensely to the development of Nigeria.

    The Vice-Chancellor who stated that paucity of funds has been a major challenge of the university, noted that the institution which has attained its ten years since its establishment has witness tremendous and rapid growth in terms of academic programmes , infrastructural development, research and innovation.

    “In our effort to achieve the much needed physical development and programme expansion , the university commenced academic activities at its permanent site (Felele campus) in September 2021 even in the face of challenges and we are calling for the assistance of the federal, state government and other spirited individuals and organizations”. He added.

  • How ASUU strike turns A 400L University Student to become a Newspaper Vendor

    How ASUU strike turns A 400L University Student to become a Newspaper Vendor

    From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    A 400L Computer Science Student with the Federal University Lokoja, (FUL), Thomas Kehinde has decried the prolonged strike of Academic Staff Union  of Universities (ASUU)
    that forced him into sales of newspapers for survival.

    Kehinde in an exclusive interview with our correspondent on Wednesday, said the ASUU strike has turned him into an emergency newspaper vendor just to survive
    insisting that both the academic body and the government are playing games with the lives and future of Nigerian youths.

    “Kehinde who is from Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State told our reporter that, “my parents fed from hand to mouth just to see me through school in pursuance of my academic dream of becoming a great computer scientist but with this unending strike of ASUU, how soon can my dream come true?” he asked.

    According to him, his hopes of graduating from the University in his four years course  in 2020 has been dashed by the tussle between  the Federal Government and the Academic Union pointing out that he decided to venture into newspaper business to avoid seating at home or engage in any social vices.

    “The last nine months have been so hectic. I thought I would be saying goodbye to the university by the end of 2020, but that hope has been shattered. Can you imagine, ASUU and the government are treating Nigerian Students as if we are not part of this country.”

    ” You would recall that, most of the people that participated in the #EndSARS protests were students. This is because they were idle.”

    “As for me, I won’t blame our leaders for treating us like trash. How many of the big men and the top government official has children in a public Nigeria University.?”

    “As for me, I will continue with my newspaper business, with the hope that the Federal Government and ASUU will come to a truce. I don’t want to drag the name of my family into the mud, so I decided to do this business for survival” he concluded.

    Although, some of my friend have been mocking me, including  some of my course mates  that I am selling newspaper,  I still don’t care. It is better to do a legitimate business of selling newspaper, than engaging in armed robbery, or kidnapping,  just to satisfy my immediate needs” he stated.

    He described the over nine old ASUU strike as unfair, appealing to the aggrieved bodies to sheath their swords and allow students return to class room.