UniAbuja admission not for sale – VC

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. James Adelabu, on Wednesday debunked allegations that admission into the university was for sale.

He accused mischief makers of spreading the rumour to discredit the institution.

Adelabu said this while reacting to media enquiries at the university’s permanent site, in Abuja, on Wednesday.

He pointed accussing fingers at “disgruntled members of staff” who were unable to have their way in the exercise as those behind such claims.

“What I have observed is that, some of our members of staff make requests which are impossible to meet, therefore, they resort to expressing their disappointments by making these wild allegations sometimes directed at my person.”

Adelabu said, “Admissions into academic programmes are determined by the carrying capacity of the university.

“The allocated admission quota includes the university’s remedial science programme applicants who also have to go through the Joint Admissiond and Matriculation Board.

“We have tried in our way to accommodate as many applicants as possible on their merit just as we realised that there was a need to consider some requests for those who meet the admission requirements.”

The VC also described as untrue allegations that the university did not accord staff welfare the attention it deserved.

He explained that his administration spent N100m each month to supplement staff salaries throughout 2010.

The VC admitted that there were facilities which ought to be in place but were not in place in the College of Health Sciences of the institution.

He, however said, the university had set up a committee which had recommended urgent steps that should be taken to remedy the situation.

Meanwhile, the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State, Dr. (Mrs.) Philipa Idogho, on Wednesday, said the institution’s priority was to be recognised as a university of technology, just like Yaba College of Education and the Kaduna Polytechnic.

Idogho, an alumnus of the institution, and the first female rector of the polytechnic, explained how she curbed the menace of cultism in the institution.

She said the authorities of the institution had in the last three years spent several millions of naira on the orientation of both students and staff, including sending some abroad for workshops on security and leadership.

Idogho who took journalists round some of the projects being executed, most of which are concentrated in the institutions campus II, said it remained important to expand facilities that could ensure the school becomes a Bachelor of Technology degree-awarding institution.