Oshiomhole inaugurates eight projects at AAU

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has inaugurated a 500-capacity lecture theatre, a Moot-Court building abandoned since 1991 and six other projects funded by the government at the state-owned Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma.

Governor Oshiomhole

The other projects are: Workshop Building for Building Department and Studio for Fine and Applied Arts; Furnishing of the Moot Court in the Faculty of Law; 2-in-1 Laboratory Block for the Department of Medical Laboratory Science; Furnishing of the 2-in-1 Laboratory Block for the Department of Medical Laboratory Science; Library Building in the Faculty of Basic Medical Science and Department Building for the Department of Agriculture Economics, Emaudo Annex.

Speaking at the occasion, Oshiomhole said: “I am happy to be here to commission a number of projects that this university has been able to put in place from the N500 million that we approved for the university to embark on a number of projects.

“I have always said that my own attitude is influenced by what I see and whoever has shown capacity deserves to be encouraged. The first time, we gave the university about N250 million and later I was invited to come and commission a number of projects. When I looked at what I saw in relation to what I provided, it is clear that the university is under good management. My immediate decision there and then was that rather than do XYZ, we rather give the university the money for them to do their thing.

“I have been looking at the quality of construction from outside and I believe that you have again performed a miracle for being able to deliver so many projects, not elephant projects, not projects that are designed to ensure the comfort of the VC or the Council but have been used to ensure that additional facilities for learning are provided.

“It reinforces my confidence in your leadership abilities. It reinforces my trust in the leadership of the Vice Chancellor and all of those who are involved in making decisions on how to spend and what to spend money on.

Oshiomhole said, “Your request for a 200-room hostel is not a luxury and we will look for the money, the council will design the accommodation themselves.

“When I promised that I would like to see how you managed the money and I said if you managed it well, we will do more, I didn’t quite say I would double it. That time by 2013, the economy was a lot better. The resources were not too high but we were coping, but now as we speak, most state governments are under bailout and you have heard some of them say they would stop paying the minimum wage.

“But I have said that will not be my portion. In Edo State, we will not only pay the minimum wage, we will pay all wages because I believe that the day I cannot pay salaries, it is time to resign. My task is cut out clearly from the beginning and we have to find the courage to take from those who have and give to those who don’t have. We will look at those who have and collect taxes from them so that we can provide for those who do not have including students.

“Having now already committed myself to build a 200-room student hostel block, we will try to raise another N600 million in installments. We will hand it over to your management and use it to address any of the needs of the university in the area of infrastructure.

“People will wonder where this money will come from. The money will have to come from Edo State. It will come from Land Use Charge.”

He challenged students across the state to read the appropriate literature and revisit the basic civics to avoid being misled and urged the university to take a second look at their curriculum “because a lot of our students are not getting what I call, ‘a balanced education’.”

Oshiomole said: “Now, I am saddened when anyone masquerades as students purportedly to join civil societies, to support individuals who have acquired wealth in questionable circumstances and they say, don’t tell them to pay for Land Use Charge. If they don’t pay, how do you want your school to be maintained?”

In a remark, the Pro-Chancellor of the University, His Royal Highness, Prof Gregory Akenzua expressed joy at government’s intervention in the completion of the projects.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof Cordelia Agbebaku said: “All these go to confirm the avowed commitment of the people’s governor to the growth and development of the university. I must also add that just recently, towards the accreditation exercise in this university, the state government supported the university with the sum of N100 million. This amount assisted the university greatly in handling the accreditation exercise. We cannot thank the governor and the state government enough for this.”

Oshiomhole inaugurates eight projects at AAU

Edo Police confirm death of abducted Ekpoma University Don, arrest five suspects

The Edo State Police Command on Friday said that it had discovered the lifeless body of a lecturer of the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Professor Paul Erie, who was abducted by kidnappers, three months ago.

It also said that it had arrested five persons, suspected to be members of a criminal gang, one of whom “confessed to the kidnapping and murder” of the lecturer.

Those arrested, according to a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Stephen Onwochei, and made available to newsmen, include Awulu Samson aka Saseki, Lucky Owuadegbe, Jeremiah Amayo, Chucks Edobor and Stephen Usiagwu.

The late Professor of Agricultural Economics was kidnapped by suspected hoodlums on June 16 at about 7:45pm, along Agbor-Uromi road, by Igbanke village in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state, and taken to an unknown destination.

His prolonged absence had sparked protests from the AAU chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and his family members, who had earlier said that his abductors had demanded huge sums of money, as a ransom to release the victim.

It was learnt from unconfirmed sources that the gang had killed the associate professor, buried his remains in a bush and later collected an undisclosed amount as ransom.

Onwochei explained that late Erie’s corpse was uncovered after one of the suspects led a special intervention team initiated by the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Ezike, to the shallow grave where the remains of the professor were exhumed.

Onwochei said, “He (one of the suspects) volunteered and led police pathologist, forensic experts, detectives, family members and the press to a bush at Igbanke village on October 1, 2015 at about 11pm, where a shallow grave was identified and successful exhumation of the suspected remains of Prof. Paul A. Erie was carried out.

“Items recovered from the grave and scene are consistent and suggestive that the remains are indeed that of Prof. Paul A. Erie as identified by family members.”

While expressing the condolence of the command to the aggrieved family, the police spokesperson, however, noted that that command had begun a manhunt for three other members of the gang who are still at large.

“It is worthy of note that three out of the eight suspected kidnappers are yet to be arrested but the command assures that it will leave no stone unturned until the suspects at large are arrested and brought to book,” he added.

Edo Police confirm death of abducted Ekpoma University Don, arrest five suspects

Boko Haram: Adamawa varsity reopens, employs 80 hunters

The authorities of Adamawa State University, Mubi, have recruited 80 hunters to ensure the security of the university community.

Boko haram in Borno

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof Joshua Shall, disclosed this to newsmen in Mubi on Thursday, just as the institution resumes academic activities.

Shall said that the institution was aware of the complementary role played by the vigilante groups and the hunters when the military recaptured Mubi town after it was overrun by insurgents in October 2014. This, he said, informed the decision of the university to recruit the hunters to boost security in the institution.

Shall, who said that 95 per cent of the students had resumed for classes, stated that the institution lost 11 members of staff and three students, while property worth N5bn were destroyed by the insurgents.

“They (insurgents) broke into all offices, staff quarters, hostels, laboratories, stores and looted property,” he said.

The vice chancellor said that the school managed to reopen following the intervention of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, which he said, supported the institution with N250m.

He said that TETFund also approved a substantial amount of money for the institution which his management was now trying to access to sustain the ongoing rehabilitation work in the university.

While lauding TETFund for the support, Shall also commended the national body of Academic Staff Union of Universities, for donating N21m to its members in the university.

He said the university had also compiled the lists of damages incurred by its wrkers and submitted same to the Victims Support Fund, for possible assistance.

“We hope that when the fund commence rendering assistance to victims of insurgency, we will be remembered,” Shall said.

Boko Haram: Adamawa varsity reopens, employs 80 hunters

Jang queries VC as fraud crisis rocks varsity

A major crisis has engulfed the nine-year-old Plateau State University, Bokkos, Plateau State, over allegation of financial impropriety levelled against the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof Sam Ale.

Ale, said to be an in-law to the governor, was the immediate past Director General of the National Mathematical Centre from where he was appointed the chairman of the council.

The petitioners, who called themselves stakeholders in the university had alleged that despite the fact that all the courses in the university have not been accredited by all the relevant authorities, the management, led by the pro chancellor are busy chasing shadows and appropriating contracts to themselves and their cronies.

Apart from the concerned stakeholders, another petition from a group called Plateau Patriots, has also been sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The petition details some financial graft and misappropriation against the chairman of the council.

Our correspondent gathered that the allegations were so strong that Jang has queried the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Danjuma Sheni, on how such vital documents relating to university administration should be in the hands of the petitioners.

Our correspondent gathered that the VC had, in turn, queried the Registrar, Mr. Daniel Kim, to explain how the documents became a public knowledge.

Already staff and students of the university are mobilizing for an action against the school authorities.

There is also crisis of confidence between the VC and council chairman as the chairman is allegedly pointing accusing fingers at the VC for sponsoring the petition.

A student, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity said they would not want history to repeat itself.

The student, who was one of the pioneer students before it was closed down, said “I waited for many years for the school to be reopened and now I am about to go through another harrowing time because our programmes have not been accredited.”

The pro chancellor, who confirmed receipt of the petition to our correspondent, however described all the allegations as tissues of lies.

He said the council would be meeting on Tuesday to take a look at all the issues raised by the petitioners.

Ale said, “I am glad that you are cross-checking your facts, the writers are not known, the names there are fictitious as they are neither students nor staff. However the governing council is meeting tomorrow Tuesday to make its position known.

“Meanwhile be assured that it’s a bunch of lies and will be handled appropriately.”

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Jang queries VC as fraud crisis rocks varsity

Afrocandy Solicits For Funds From Public To Send Her Child To School

 

I don’t know what’s going on but Nigerian soft porn actress and producer, Afrocandy, is online asking people for money to send her daughter to school.

Afrocandy, real name Judith Okpara Mazagwu shared a link on her Facebook page yesterday asking for donations, claiming she needs the money to pay the school fees of one of her daughters who just got admission into the university.

According to Afrocandy, her porn movie, Destructive Instinct, which she released early this year, was not financially rewarding as her distributors in Nigeria made away with money made. See what she wrote on Facebook after the cut…

Afrocandy wrote on twitter that the post was true, dispelling any tale that her facebook account might have been hacked.

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Afrocandy Solicits For Funds From Public To Send Her Child To School