The Vice-Chancellor of Nasarawa State University Keffi, Professor Muhammed Bala
BY RICHARD ABU, Nasarawa –
The Vice-Chancellor of the Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK), Professor Suleiman Bala Muhammed has appealed to the Governor of Nasarawa State, Engineer Abdulahi Sule to wade into the planned strike by members of the Academic Stuff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the institution.
Prof. Muhammed urged the governor to pay the staff’s earned allowances in order to avoid disrupting the academic calendar of the institution.
The Vice-Chancellor made the appeal on Wednesday, while speaking at the 28th inaugural lecture organised by the university and delivered by Professor Benson Shadrack Jatau of the Department of Geology and Mining.
Professor Muhammed commended Governor Sule for his high interest in the education sector and expressed optimism that the governor would wade into the lingering strike to avoid the university from altering her academic calendar.
He also commended members of the academic staff from the faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences for their commitment in delivering the lecture series and challenged professors from other faculties to do same to promote the integrity of the university in knowledge acquisition.
In his lecture titled “Mineral Resources of the Earth: Mining, Needs, Greed and Sustainability”, Professor Benson Jatau, described mining as the exploration of minerals that have distinctive benefits to mankind legally or illegally and advised people to acquire genuine certificates that would warrant them into carrying out genuine businesses.
Prof. Jatau, who is also the former Dean, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, urged the Nasarawa State Government and the Federal Government to take over the mining of all minerals as most companies doing the business do not follow due process and are greedy and mischievous in mining the mineral deposits in the country.
He stressed the need for sustainability plan and political will on the part of the government in handling minerals, while calling on the Nasarawa State Government to take her rightful position among the comity of nations in exploring her minerals.
In his vote of thanks, the Registrar of Nasarawa State University Keffi, Mallam Bala Ahmed commended the Vice-Chancellor of the university for his prudent management of the institution, which has earned her a national recognition and also expressed satisfaction with the Nasarawa State Government for the attention given the institution.
The Registrar commended staff and students of the university for their show of commitment and understanding and prayed for journey mercies for all that graced the occasion.
Highlights of the event was the presentation of merit award to the presenter of the inaugural lecture, Professor Benson Shadrack Jatau for his scholarship and erudite presentation.
