From Attah Ede, Makurdi 

The Vice Chancellor, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University Makurdi(JOSTUM ), Benue State, Prof.

Prof. Itodo who disclosed this when he received members of correspondents’ chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists NUJ Benue State Council, on courtesy call in his office, explained that he met a deficit backlog of 130 academic staff who were due for promotion into professorial cadre since 2019 to 2024.

He stated after the rigour assessments by the university academic assessors, 

over 120 readers scaled through and were offered letters of promotion as full professors.

He also assured that the institution has make it deliberate that all those from the directorate cadres who were due for promotion as director, were promoted, stressing that staff no longer loss promotion.

He maintained that some academic programmes have been unbundled to accommodate more and effective teaching and learning, while they secured full restoration of the university College of Management Sciences that were withdrawn about five years ago by NUC.

According to him, out of 11 colleges, 6 are Agro related. 60 percent is Agriculture related, 70 percent resources spent on the 6 colleges with others been supportive.  

He Jamb requested and gave the university a total of 5,840 for Engineering but they could not even get 2000 because their courses are no longer attractive.

” Students who come to do 5 years do not graduate in 8 years. There are several neighbouring universities competing for students so, prospective students go for courses that they think can make a difference in their lives. Because of the high level of unemployment, nobody just want to read anything. 

“We have unbundled Engineering. We will get computer Engineering , electrical engineering, telecommunication engineering , automotive engineering, Mechatronic, water resources, environmental engineering, hence the life of the university depends on the unbundling. 

Prof. Itodo said the institution had received over 6 billion naira as Special Intervention from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND for 2023 which is being judiciously put into use.

 “The institution was receiving the intervention for the first time since it establishment more than 44 years ago. The funds is been applied judiciously to the building of an international conference center in the university. 

“The center when completed, will be a hub for holding conferences by different groups, pointing out that It will go a long way to shore up their Internally Generated Revenue, IGR. 

“We are going to build an Ultra modern drawing studio for engineers, technologists, physics and food science. This is coming as high impact intervention for 4 billion naira.  

“We are also, going to build a Plant Health laboratory for 2 billion naira which is a special Intervention of TETFUND undertaken by Israeli. The Annual intervention for 2024 is expected and we will apply to the award to project for 2024. We know that TETFUND does not delay”, he said.

“We inherited a non academic directory which was only 3. This was over burdening. Hence, we decided to unbundle and create 4 additional directory amongst them; Academic affairs directory, exams and record and directory of Senate affairs”h said. 

He however said the institution was notorious for not releasing results of students on time, maintaining that presently, only three (3) departments have not released results even as he disclosed that 8000 students have already been mobilized for NYSC.

“There are several neighbouring universities competing for students so, prospective students go for courses that they think can make a difference in their lives. Because of the high level of unemployment, nobody just want to read anything. 

“This University started in 82 years. If for 44 years with 3000 staff strength. You cannot compare that to some of the new universities that have 5,000. We are thinking of expanding to fill those programmes that have been unbundled. 

“We have committed most of our IGR to fix student hostels and make them conducive. Hitherto students did not want to stay in the hostels. 

“We have had security issues. Our female hostel was recently under attack. Nobody was harmed but handsets were collected from the students. Some armed men blocked the road at SRS junction and 4 persons were kidnapped including a one hundred level microbiology students

“A week after that, we learnt that some people came around the same place and macheted some of the villagers and the villagers got angry on the ground that the government has neglected them. 

“They blocked the road leading to the university and we can’t go out and come into the university. It was a big problem for us but with the intervention of soldiers, police and the traditional rulers the youths were able to open the road.

“A Joint Army/DSS patrol on a daily basis has commenced in the school. . We need to up our game. We have a standing squad and bought 5 motorbikes and Hilux vehicle to facilitate patrol and response on time. We are equipping our security men. There is a central control unit with drones and walking talkies”, the VC said