Acting VC of Benue State University, Prof. Simon Terver Ubwa
By TYAV SAM TYAV, Makurdi –
Acting Vice Chancellor Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi (MOAUM), former Benue State University, (BSU), Professor Simon Terver Ubwa, has identified the incessant attacks on the farming community of the state as a major impediment to the development of the university.
Addressing the Forum of Investigative Journalists in the VC’ s conference hall on Friday, Prof. Ubwa said the incessant attacks and displacement of thousands of farmers in the state has hampered the rapid progress of the university.
He explained that the farmers, whose sources of income is from their farms were no longer going to farm and that has also affected the university as they were no longer financially strong to pay their children and wards school fees.
The Acting VC noted that the effect was being experienced by the management of the university as he stressed that most of the things were left undone at the university.
According to the Acting VC, about nine thousand candidates were given admission but only about five thousand were able to register because of inadequate funds, revealing also that some registered a day to matriculation ceremony and were not captured.
Speaking, further, Professor Ubwa revealed that about twenty thousand students were to sit for examination and only five thousand students were qualified to sit for the examination in accordance with the rules governing the conduct of examinations in the university.
Ubwa revealed that the university has about thirty thousand students and about three thousand staff for the over sixty programmes but the university management was constrained to handle adequately the challenges they face.
He told journalists that the university management sometimes tries to bend the rules to accommodate more students even as they were also aware of the challenges staring in their faces.
Professor Ubwa said the establishment of the University of Agriculture, Science and Technology Ihugh is not a threat to existence of MOAUM. He emphasized that the two universities have different programs and are meant to complement each other, rather than compete.
He acknowledged the strong support of Benue State Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia for MOAUM and expressed confidence that with sustained support, the university would achieve greater heights.
