VC NASARAWA STATE UNIVERSITY, PROF. SULEIMAN BALA MOHAMMED
From Esther Akaa, Lafia
The Vice Chancellor ( VC) Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK),Prof. Suleiman Bala-Mohammed has vowed to address unethical behaviour on campus, especially among staff of the university.
Prof Bala-Mohammed stated this on Wednesday at the Colloquium organised by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) NSUK branch in Keffi Local Government Area ( LGA) of the state
According to him, unethical conduct was a serious threat to the wellbeing and proper administration of any university, hence the resolve to tackle it so it does not tarnish the image and hamper the day to day running of the university.
“The issue of unethical conduct very is very critical. Like other universities, we also have issues bordering on ethics in this university. It is deep rooted in this university.
“I have had cause severally to complain about lecturers who go to class in a semester not more than four or five times. I have reasons to complain about lecturers whose scripts are marked through proxies.
“We have had to compel our colleagues to meet our deadline in terms of submission of results. Project supervision is another very serious issue. There are a lot of hangover guys around whom some lecturers keep around and doing this dirty business for them,” he said.
He explained that the university management then had to launch a whistleblowing policy aimed exposing perpetrators giving the gravity of the impact of unethical conducts if left unchecked.
“We told members of the community, students and staff that when they see something, they must say something. We have also provided a platform for students to complain when they are victimised.
“We have also set up a senate committee on this unethical conduct issue. I am delighted today that we will have conversations on unethical conducts, so that we will remind ourselves on what is right and the need to do the right thing,” he said.
In his presentation, the guest speaker, Prof. Nasiru Fagge who spoke on curbing unethical conducts in the Nigerian University system, said unethical practices taking place in universities, have forced the academic community to lose respect and dignity.
Fagge who is a former president of ASUU,
added that due to the misconduct of some academics, the intellectual was fast losing credibility, honour and integrity.
He, therefore called on lecturers to have a rethink and management of universities to take stringent action to curb unethical conducts.
In his remarks , President of ASUU,Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke lauded the initiative of the NSUK branch for organising the colloquium which he described as the appropriate platform to sensitise members on the ills of unethical conduct in the university system.
He, therefore assured that the union will continue to negotiate positive issues with government to ensure that quality education is provided in Nigerian universities.
In an interview with journalists, Chairman, ASUU NSUK branch, Dr Samuel Allu, said the institution has set up a senate standing committee called ethics and grievances committee.
“That means there are some unethical activities going on in the university and the management doesn’t want that to continue and of course our members are part of the university working force.
“So it is normal and thoughtful that we should organise a workshop, a lecture series that will touch the aspect of unethical activities in the university so that members are informed. There is a saying that information is power,” he said.
The Voice reports that the two papers presented at the colloquium were “Curbing unethical conducts in the Nigerian University system: The ASUU perspective and opinions” and presented, Prof. Nasir Fagge, while the second paper entitled “Principles and workings of ASUU: matters arising” was presented by another former president of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi.
